Swimmers at an outdoor pool in Burnaby can warm themselves up courtesy of some Finnish inspiration.
While Burnaby deals with a dearth of aquatic facilities after the demolition of C.G. Brown Pool, the city has kept open Kensington Outdoor Pool in the winter months – a solution that has meant some chilly swimmers.
But a member of a local swim team that practices at Kensington got an idea after a trip to Finland, where saunas at outdoor pools are more common, said city public affairs officer Cole Wagner.
The swimmer suggested the city install a sauna to give users a place to warm up after their swim, when the weather outside “isn’t super warm,” Wagner said.
The city did just that.
“As far as we know, this is a relatively unique feature for an outdoor pool in Metro Vancouver,” Wagner told the Burnaby NOW in an emailed statement.
Staff bought an outdoor sauna model for $37,000 and partnered with Fortis BC to address the added electrical capacity needed to run the sauna and the pool.
Fortis agreed to reimburse the city about $130,000 for a combined heat and power unit, which Wagner described as a gas-fired, combination pool-water heater and electricity generator in one unit.
The unit will allow the city to pre-heat the pool water to maintain a more stable temperature in the winter, which will reduce the load on the pool’s boilers and extend their lifecycle, Wagner said.
The sauna is a standalone structure that could be removed, but the city plans to keep it while the pool operates year-round.
Up to eight people can be in the sauna at once, and it’s open to everyone during public swim and to user groups when they book the pool.
It’s heated using an electric sauna heater.
“Hopefully it will help out local swimmers get more out of their training when it’s cold!” Wagner said.
Ready to relax after your swim? Come check out our brand-new sauna at Kensington Outdoor Pool!
— Burnaby Parks & Rec (@burnabyparksrec) March 20, 2024
🏊♀️Check out schedules: https://t.co/pyIHYPzNsw pic.twitter.com/aAbzJokACd
