Heather Wright/The Independent

Renovations at the Mooretown Sports Complex pool have hit a snag.

The pool closed April 1 for a major renovation of the pool deck and change rooms.

St. Clair Township, which owns the complex, has been upgrading the community hub for several years and has been planning work on the pool area for about two years.

The township received a $1.5 million provincial grant in 2025 to repair the pool deck.

As the Community Services department prepared for the upgrade, officials found the iron pipes in the change room were in critical condition and in need of replacement. Officials said more money would be needed to complete both projects.

There was some concern the renovations would have to be done over two years, lengthening the time the facility would be closed to the public. But township council decided to use cash provided by Clean Harbors tipping fees to make sure the repairs were done all at one time. They’d hoped they would be complete by September.

But that is not going to happen.

July 29, the community services department said in an update “unexpected challenges have been uncovered withing the building…These underlying issues must be addressed to ensure the long-term integrity of the complex.

Clerk Jeff Baranek tells The Independent in an email that “When they peeled back the wall and the tiles from the floor, some structural work required some significant reinforcement; this is not something entirely unexpected given the age of the structure.”

Baranek says it is not clear how long the fix will take.

“The full extent of the additional work required is still being assessed. We do not want to provide a reopening date until we have a better understanding of the work involved and can provide a timeline that is realistic and achievable,” he said.

The pool, change rooms and fitness centre will remained closed until the work is complete.

“We know this deeply impacts the residents, families and user groups who rely on our facility and we are fully committed to sharing updates as new information becomes available,” the department said.