City temporarily closes Polydium Sports Center

The Polydium Sports Center in Châteauguay has been closed since Thursday, November 17th for an indefinite period of time due to health and safety reasons.

Translation by Paula Dayan-Perez

“Following control measures, it was found that the building has an air humidity level that’s above regulatory levels, which requires an additional structural assessment,” the City said in a press release.

Le Soleil de Châteauguay asked the Municipality what the regulatory humidity level was as well as that recorded at the Polydium, but did not get an answer.

“Over the next few weeks, the City will complete the surveys necessary to make a decision and will be proactive in the information to be sent to citizens,” wrote in an email Christine Arsenault, communications advisor at the City of Châteauguay.

The Municipality says it’s working with Gestaforme, the non-profit organization that manages the Sports Center’s activities and the Polydium indoor pool, to find quick solutions to allow citizens to practice their sports during the closure.

According Gestaforme administrative board president Michel Boutin, between 900 and 1,000 people use the premises per week, including people who take swimming lessons, those who attend open swim periods, students who participate in sports-study programs as well as people registered at the gym, among others.

Swimming pool project under analysis

The Polydium swimming pool has been considered dilapidated for several years. It no longer meets the needs of the growing population, and the building is obsolete.

The Régie Beau-Château, made up of the cities of Châteauguay and Beauharnois, obtained a $14 million grant in 2021 for the construction of a new indoor aquatic complex, which would replace the Polydium swimming pool.

The Régie announced this summer that the aquatic complex project had to be reviewed and analyzed again, since construction costs have increased significantly for this type of infrastructure. At the time of the grant application, the construction project was valued at $22 million. It is now estimated at $30 million.

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