During the night a storm water drain pipe fell from the ceiling of the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre pool deck in an area that was expanded in 2000 on the west side of the facility south of the large water slide. Staff discovered the incident at 5:30 am.
Initially, the area around the incident was closed off and at approximately 7:30 am the Aquatics staff elected to close the entire facility to ensure that the repair crews and staff would not impact patrons of the pool.
We can now report that the pipe was a storm water drain pipe that moves water from the roof of the expanded section to the storm water system. This type of piping is only present in this section of the pool, and does not affect the balance of the facility. The preliminary cause of the pipes collapse is that brackets used to install these storm water pipes had corroded and failed. They were placed under the pipe insulation, and were not visible as part of inspections done regularly in the facility.
Staff are working to have the pipes repaired to the highest standards and in addition, to ensure public safety, have arranged for a structural engineering inspection for the entire pool deck before the facility is reopened. The goal is to have the facility reopened as quickly as possible without compromise to the safety of the public. We will update the situation as we get a clearer idea of the scope and timing of the repairs.
It is critical that our customers understand that this type of piping is only used in that new section of the pool, and that the balance of the facility is not impacted in any way. It is also important that patrons understand that the facility has been maintained in top condition, and the renovations that are being tendered at this time are not related to the standard of maintenance of the facility, but instead to modernize and enhance the facility for years to come. Thank you to the public for their patience as we deal with this incident and transition back to normal operations.
If you have any questions about this incident please contact Wendy McCormick, Director of Recreation at 604-467-7328 or by email at wmccormick@mapleridge.ca.