Aquatic Centre Reopening Soon Following Scheduled Maintenance and Facility Upgrades

The City of Kenora is pleased to announce that the Moncrief Construction Sports Centre aquatic centre will reopen this September following its annual summer maintenance closure. Each year, the aquatic centre closes to allow for planned maintenance and capital improvements that help maintain a safe, efficient, and high-quality facility.

During this year's closure, several upgrades were completed to enhance water quality, energy efficiency, and the overall visitor experience.

2026 Aquatic Centre Upgrades

The following improvements were completed throughout 2026 and during the annual summer maintenance shutdown:

• Repainting of the leisure pool with epoxy coating to extend the life of the concrete basin.
• Deep cleaning of pool area surfaces.
• Sand filter cleaning and chemical treatment to improve filtration efficiency and water quality.
• Servicing of the aquatic centre's Dectron dehumidification system, which helps control humidity, improve air quality, and increase energy efficiency by recapturing heat to warm the pool and facility.
• Cleaning of heating cores.
• HVAC system servicing.
• Repairs and patching to the lane pool.
• Reinforcement and welding of the slide deck.
• Installation of a new electrical flocculation system, one of the first applications of this technology in Canada, which improves filtration performance, reduces chemical consumption, and enhances water clarity.
• Installed a new pool disinfection and water chemistry control system that automatically monitors and adjusts water treatment as needed. The upgrade helps maintain cleaner, more consistent water quality, improves swimmer safety, increases operational efficiency, and reduces the need for manual chemical handling and maintenance.

These upgrades were made possible by the Province of Ontario and Federal Government Strategic Priorities Infrastructure Fund (SPIF), along with support from the City’s operating budget. 

"It's always exciting to reopen the aquatic centre and welcome the community back after our annual maintenance period. We're proud of the work completed this year and look forward to sharing these improvements with residents, families, swimmers, and visitors this fall," says Andrew Smith, General Manager of Recreation and Culture.

Reopening Schedule

The aquatic centre will reopen in stages beginning this September. As each pool becomes available, opening dates will be announced through the City of Kenora Recreation Department's Facebook and Instagram.

Residents are encouraged to follow these accounts for reopening updates as each pool becomes available. All aquatic amenities are anticipated to be open by September 28.

Pool schedules will also be available on the City of Kenora website as they are finalized.

Looking Ahead to 2027

Building on the upgrades completed this year, additional enhancements in the aquatic centre are planned for 2027 through support from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), and the Kenora Swimming Sharks.

Planned projects include:

• Installation of a lane pool headwall to meet Swimming Canada competition standards and support the hosting of sanctioned swim meets.
• New accessible race starting blocks.
• A new digital timing system and scoreboard.

Together, these projects will support competitive swimming, enhance community programming, and expand opportunities to host events in Kenora.

The aquatic centre upgrades are the latest in a series of improvements completed at the Moncrief Construction Sports Centre, including enhancements to the lobby, gym, skatepark, and Thistle Arena. Together, these projects continue to strengthen the Moncrief Construction Sport Centre as a premier recreation facility and support opportunities for recreation, sport, and wellness in Kenora.