“It makes New West a better place to live.”
Those were the words of one New West resident attending Monday’s opening of the təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre. April 29 marked the first day of programming in the new civic facility and the first time community members could get inside the $114.6-million building.
Mayor Patrick Johnstone thanked Indigenous leaders and community members who led Monday’s opening through their song, music, blessing and teachings. He noted that Monday’s ceremony marked the opening of the “dry spaces” in təməsew̓txʷ, while the aquatics side of the building (the wet spaces) is set to open May 14.
“It's going to be the heart and the soul of this community and a place for us all to connect,” he said. “And we're really excited to share this facility with you.”
Following a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony, children – because of their innocence and purity of thought – were asked to lead community members into the space. As they moved into the building, they swept with cedar boughs to cleanse the space – so it would always be a good place to be.
Inside, folks toured the community centre and visited tables set up inside the “community living room” to get information about various aspects of the building.
“I’m so excited!” said four-year-old Evelyn, who started a program at TACC on Monday.
Joe Crouser, Evelyn’s dad, said the family was thrilled to see the new facility open.
“We are so excited to see the place – we've been anticipating it for years now,” he said. “It is a remarkable step up from the Canada Games Pool.”
New West resident Lori Walker was feeling emotional about being in the “gorgeous” new building.
“It's really, really, really exciting,” she said. “I'm really excited about the name and the care that they've taken in including everything, including the Indigenous people. They have just really done a first-rate job.”
Walker said she tried to time her retirement around the facility’s opening, so she could transition from fitness offerings at her workplace’s gym to təməsew̓txʷ. She said the airy and welcoming building will be an incredible community asset.
“It's incredible; it really is,” she said. “It makes New West a better place to live.”
Violet Hau, who has been swimming and taking fitness classes at Bonsor and Edmonds community centres in Burnaby, is looking forward to making use of services in the new facility.
“It's awesome,” she said after touring TACC.
Longtime New West resident Bryan Vogler was impressed with the building – but anticipates a problem: too many people. He suspects more traffic will be passing by the facility when the Pattullo Bridge replacement project is complete – drawing folks from other Lower Mainland communities into the facility.
“I think they're going to say, ‘Wow! New Westminster has really done something here’ – and they're going to stop; they're going to come in here and they're going to say, ‘We've got to catch up to you guys.’”
Kim Denofreo, who has lived in New West for 23 years, was among the residents to attend Monday’s opening.
“It's beautiful,” she said.
As someone who is disabled, she welcomes its ramp access into the pool. She also hopes disabled swim sessions are offered at təməsew̓txʷ and the elevator is well-signed, as that’s important to people with disabilities.
The City of New Westminster notes that the facility’s inclusive design and physical accessibility components have also resulted in the Rick Hansen Accessibility Foundation Gold Certification.
The aquatic portion of the facility, which includes an eight-lane 50-metre pool, a leisure pool with lazy river, hot pools, a tot zone, and sauna and steam rooms, will open to the public on Tuesday, May 14 at 4 p.m.
The new 10,644-square-metre (114,571-square-foot) state-of-the-art facility is the City of New Westminster’s largest capital project to date.
According to the City of New Westminster, the combined aquatic and community centre is LEED Gold certified and is Canada’s first completed all-electric facility to achieve the Canada Green Building Council’s (CAGBC) Zero Carbon Building-Design Standard.
təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre is located at 65 East Sixth Ave., at the site of the former Canada Games Pool and Centennial Community Centre.
