Hope Recreation Complex and Library
Hope, British Columbia

The District of Hope proudly opened the doors of their new indoor aquatic facility in September 1997 to serve a relatively small community of just 7,000. This building, with its welcoming rockwork entrance way, houses a 6 lane 25 metre lap pool, leisure pool, separate tots’ pool, and an adjoining library. The construction cost, just $3.45 million.

In the first month of operation the facility reported 235 customers per day, not including swim clubs or other specialty courses.

The 25 metre pool includes 1 and 3 metre springboard diving. The adjacent leisure pool incorporates a double rapids channel, “lemon drop” spray, and a raindrop unit in the form of a rock encrusted “mushroom.” A separate tots’ area caters to the youngest clients. A sauna, steam room, and swirlpool are the answers for those in need of relaxation and stress reduction. The library and fitness centre incorporated in this complex provide a fantastic facility for this proud town.

The theming of the decor reflects the spectacular natural surroundings of the area, with towering evergreens, soaring eagles, and a panoramic mural depicting some of the history of the District of Hope. Buntings add splashes of colour and help to control noise. Man-made rock formations provide support for the trees, some of which are so tall they have “grown through the roof.” With the soft clouds and blue sky reflecting on the surface of the pools, one could imagine swimming in a local lake, or revisiting a well loved swimming hole of their youth.