Nova Scotia·NewWhile Kings County council’s recent decision to implement a deed transfer tax was touted as necessary to help fund a new regional recreational facility, getting to a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take at least a few years as many steps remain.Recreation facility could take 3-4 years to complete and cost around $100 million, Kings County mayor saysRichard Woodbury · CBC News · Posted: Nov 29, 2025 5:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Kings County Mayor Dave Corkum hopes a new regional recreation facility can open in the next three to four years. (Andrew Lam/CBC)For Hayden Adams, the closure of Acadia University’s pool five months ago has required, in his words, “some finagling.”He’s the head coach of the Wolfville Tritons swim club, which lost its home pool when the Annapolis Valley, N.S., university decided to shut down the aging facility that needed many repairs.As a result, the Wolfville Tritons are now operating out of nearby smaller pools in Windsor and Waterville at less-than-preferred times.”It’s been an adjustment, but we’re making it work,” said Adams.For years, there’s been talk of constructing a regional recreation facility, of which a pool would be a key component.”The project really excites me,” said Adams. “First and foremost, I hope we see it sooner rather than later, but these are, you know, very big projects that take a lot of steps and funding and meetings, but I am all in support of it.”Hayden Adams, coach of the Wolfville Tritons swim club, says membership has dropped by almost 50 per cent since the closure of the Acadia pool. (Daniel Sutherland)While Kings County council’s recent decision to implement a deed transfer tax was touted as necessary to help fund a new regional recreational facility, getting to a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take at least a few years.Kings County Mayor Dave Corkum appreciates the urgency with which people want the project to go ahead.”Every day, people are approaching me and telling me how badly needed this is and we basically can’t get ‘er done fast enough,” he said. “But you got to make sure it’s done right and I think it’ll be something that Kings County and the Annapolis Valley will be proud of.”Acadia University closed its pool in June, citing persistent annual deficits and a lengthy list of needed repairs. As well, the university said prolonging the pool’s life would require a two-year shutdown. (Pat Callaghan/CBC)While final designs have not been established, it’s expected the facility will include a pool, gymnasium, walking track and meeting space, said Corkum. He said it might even include a rink to replace the Kentville Centennial Arena.The location has been selected. A purchase and sale agreement is in place for a parcel of land in Coldbrook. Corkum said the location’s benefits are that it’s close to Highway 101, it’s on a bus route, it’s in the middle of the county and the land is flat and easy to develop.Corkum said the county is working on a memorandum of understanding with the towns of Wolfville and Kentville.From there, these governments will need to secure provincial and federal funding for the project. A community group is also planning to help fundraise for the project, which Corkum said could cost around $100 million if it includes an arena.Wolfville Mayor Jodi MacKay hopes a regional recreation facility opens before the end of the current municipal politics term in fall 2028. (Grey Butler/CBC)Corkum said if all goes according to plan, the facility could open in three to four years.Wolfville Mayor Jodi MacKay hopes the project can be completed before the next municipal election, which would be in fall 2028. But she has an idea for how the pool could open sooner.”If we can get a pool open and then do the rest afterwards, open it in phases, I think people would be happy with that,” she said.Public safety concernAdams said the closure of the Acadia pool is making it even more difficult for families to sign their kids up for swimming lessons. He’s concerned about some of the implications this could have.”Having a place where kids can learn how to swim is so paramount,” he said. “We live in a province with so many bodies of water where it’s easy to find yourself in one unexpectedly.”So knowing how to swim, I’m worried about how many kids are not going to have that knowledge that I think some of us think we take for granted.”MORE TOP STORIESABOUT THE AUTHORRichard Woodbury is a journalist with CBC Nova Scotia’s digital team. He can be reached at richard.woodbury@cbc.ca.
‘Can’t get ‘er done fast enough’: Behind the push to open a new Annapolis Valley pool
