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Leaky pool awaits repair

Philippe Morin
Northern News Services

Aklavik (Aug 21/06) -Aklavik's pool has a hole in the bottom and residents are hopeful they will soon get relief from the constant dripping.

The hole is barely noticeable, but supervisor Chrissy Roset estimated the pool loses between 5,000 and 10,000 litres per week.

NNSL Photo/graphic

Chrissy Roset says it'll be nice when Aklavik's leaky pool is fixed. - Photo courtesy of Lindsay Wood

She said staff have been topping up the swimming hole with a fire hose every few days to prevent it from getting low. "It's going to be really nice to get that fixed," she said.

Dean McLeod, recreation coordinator for the hamlet of Aklavik's, said the pool is scheduled for $70,000 in renovations, slated for the end of summer.

Planned repairs include new drains, cleaning materials and a vinyl liner, which should keep water from leaking out.

"It's going to fix our problem," McLeod said.

McLeod said he is not surprised by the leak, since the pool's vinyl lining was installed in 1997. "The liner had its lifetime anyhow. Those are supposed to last 4 or 5 years."

He added staff recently tried to patch the hole using glue, but were unable to stop the leak entirely.

"Right now it's a slow leak. It's not much of a big deal."

Despite the leak, Roset said Aklavik's pool is still a good place to swim.

The water is as clean as always, and programs have not affected by the refills, she said.

"It's going to be really nice," she said of the repairs. "But the facility's in pretty good shape as it is. It's just going to make it better."

Aklavik's water supply comes from a treatment centre, which processes water from a freshwater river.

No comment from the hamlet or water treatment centre was available as of press time.