While the closure of the North 性视界传媒 Recreation Centre will force pool and gym users to switch facilities, but it鈥檚 the community base and accessibility that is concerning some of the patrons.

The North 性视界传媒 Recreation Complex is closing in two phases, with the first having already happened. The ice rinks at North 性视界传媒 Recreation Centre closed in time for the opening of the three rinks at North 性视界传媒 Sport & Ice Complex in September.

The recreation centre will officially close Dec. 22, moving its programming to Guildford Recreation Centre (for aquatics), North 性视界传媒 Sport & Ice Complex (for fitness and multi-purpose activities) and Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre (for preschool programs).

READ ALSO: Date set for complete closure of North 性视界传媒 Recreation Centre, Aug. 21, 2019

READ ALSO: End is near for North 性视界传媒 rec centre, June 25, 2019

Cathy Brown, who has been using the North 性视界传媒 Recreation Centre on and off since the 1970s, said the problem with the closure is the community base that will be lost since the facility has been around for 54 years.

Brown said the pool is currently serving the needs of elementary and high school students, children and adults for swimming lessons and immigrants and seniors 鈥渨ho have been using the pool for up to 40 years.鈥�

鈥淎s well as working people like me, who want to stay in good health,鈥� Brown said.

Brown said she swims two to three times per week during the 鈥渧alue times,鈥� which are discounted rates for swimming. The value swim times, she said, allow her to swim early in the morning before work, but Guildford Recreation Centre doesn鈥檛 currently offer value swim times and 性视界传媒 Sport & Leisure Complex鈥檚 value swim times don鈥檛 work with her schedule.

A City of 性视界传媒 spokesperson told the Now-Leader it has been planning to introduce value times at the Guildford facility for some time, and that the rates will be in place in 2020.

Brown actually lives within seven minutes of 性视界传媒 Sport & Leisure Complex in Fleetwood. She said she鈥檒l try the Fleetwood or Guildford centres once North 性视界传媒 closes, but she鈥檚 not sure those locations will work with her schedule.

Dave Bains, who鈥檚 been swimming at the pool for 38 years, said mobility for the pool users is a 鈥渂ig, big issue.鈥�

鈥淭hey are so happy they can come here without changing a bus. One bus from their home, and they鈥檙e here. To go to Guildford, they have to, basically, come here first, change the bus,鈥� he said.

For Roslyn Simon, who lives within walking distance of North 性视界传媒, she said she may try and go to Guildford to swim.

鈥淏ut if there鈥檚 snow on the ground, there鈥檚 no way I am going to be able to walk out and catch a bus because I use a cane. I have terrible knees. Mobility is a bit of a problem,鈥� said Simon, adding that she uses the pool to help with her mobility.

Like Brown, Simon said there is 鈥渁 whole community being destroyed鈥� with the facility鈥檚 closure.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a pool. It鈥檚 more than a pool, there are human beings involved,鈥� she said. 鈥淩emoving the pool is not just a pool, you鈥檙e breaking up a society. We care about each other.鈥�

Laurie Cavan, the city鈥檚 manager of Parks, Recreation and Culture, previously told the Now-Leader that 30,000 鈥渋ndividual users鈥� annually pass through the rec centre鈥檚 doors, for a total of close to 170,000 annual drop-in visits.

detailed plans to decommission and eventually demolish the facility, which was first built in 1965 and renovated several times over the years.

In the report to council, staff recommended a complete decommissioning of the existing (North 性视界传媒 rec centre) as soon as possible鈥� after the opening of North 性视界传媒 Sport & Ice Complex, located near Scott Road SkyTrain station.

The report and plans passed with only Councillor Steven Pettigrew opposed.Pettigrew told the Now-Leader that he鈥檚 concerned about the people living around City Centre who won鈥檛 have access to a local pool.

鈥淔or many of the residents this pool has become a social gathering place as well as a fitness facility. I know that we have a pool in Guildford, but the City Centre area will be having many thousands of people moving into it,鈥� he said.

The city, Pettigrew said, needs to make sure that a new pool is built as soon as possible, adding that a new pool should be part of the city鈥檚 own recreational facilities.

鈥淧eople who have a city rec pass should be able to use the new pool and not pay any additional money to do so.鈥�

The facility鈥檚 location would make way for a mixed-use 鈥渃entre block鈥� development that鈥檚 included in the 性视界传媒 City Centre plan.

鈥淩edevelopment will facilitate the completion of a north-south pedestrian corridor, and an on-street bus exchange,鈥� the plan says. 鈥淭he north-south pedestrian corridor will meander through the Centre Block and vary in width to include large and small plazas. The plazas will include amenities such as seating, bike racks, public art, and specialty paving. The edges of the plaza will be animated with strong, four to six-storey building podiums and active uses at grade.

鈥淭he existing bus loop will be reconfigured into an on-street transit exchange,鈥� the plan adds. 鈥淭he completion of key east-west streets, Central Avenue (103 Avenue) and 102A Avenue, will facilitate bus drop off along 102A Ave and bus pick-up along Central Avenue. The bus layover facility, which is currently located within the bus loop, will be relocated within close proximity to the Centre Block.鈥�

Also included in the report is a proposed City Centre YMCA, which would be built in partnership with Simon Fraser University, with the facility being similar to the Tong Louie YMCA in the Sullivan-area.

The YMCA of Greater Vancouver is in talks with the city, 性视界传媒 City Development Corporation and SFU to construct 鈥渁 modern community, health, fitness and recreation facility鈥� in the area.

it鈥檚 working toward opening a new 性视界传媒 City Centre facility in 2021, but as of September the it was still looking to secure a site.

As for admission fees, it鈥檚 currently more expensive to use Tong Louie Family YMCA than North 性视界传媒 Recreation Centre. The rec centre鈥檚 adult drop-in rate is $7.25, or $73 for a month, compared to the Y鈥檚 adult 鈥渏oining fee鈥� of $50 plus biweekly dues of $29.99. The Y鈥檚 adult drop-in fee is $15.

However, as a charity, the YMCA is able to offer financial assistance to those who can鈥檛 afford the fees.

- with files from Tom Zillich