The Aquatics Centre at the Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex in High River, Alberta, won’t reopen until November 2026 after new problems forced the town to push back the completion date again.
The Town of High River announced the delay on July 13, saying work uncovered additional issues that need fixing before the pool can open. The facility had been expected to welcome swimmers back in September, but that timeline is now extended by at least two more months.
Once the expansion is done, residents will get a colourfully lit and patterned slide, a bigger sauna, a whirlpool, and 22 private change stalls. The project also includes a new two-storey pool addition and renovations to the existing building.
The total cost now sits at $29.4 million, up $2.6 million from earlier estimates. That extra money covers things like groundwater problems, changes to weeping tiles, repairing the old pool basin, and removing lead-based primer found on roof trusses. The town is paying for the project through $14.6 million in provincial grants and $14.8 million from its own savings, so property taxes don’t need to go up.
Construction started on July 8, 2024, with an early 2026 finish in mind. Since then, the reopening has been pushed back three times. In March 2026, council approved the budget increase after engineering project lead Kailee Hatlelid warned that there could be more unforeseen problems ahead.
The pool has been closed since October 2025, leaving families, seniors, and swim clubs without a local place to swim. The Highwood Current Swim Club, with about 60 young swimmers, has been looking for community support during the long closure. A specific opening date in November will be shared closer to when the work is done, the town says.
