CHIP 101.9 Exclusive The land earmarked for the Pontiac pool is now being used for another purpose: “The end of the committee, but not the end of the project” – Jane Toller
CHIP 101.9 Exclusive The land earmarked for the Pontiac pool is now being used for another purpose: “The end of the committee, but not the end of the project” – Jane Toller
According to information obtained by CHIP 101.9, the land targeted for the installation of a swimming pool, proposed by the Pontiac Swimming Pool Committee for several years, is no longer included in the plans and also marks the end of the Pontiac Swimming Pool Committee. The land, acquired for $1, is instead intended for a residential development project. The Municipality of Fort-Coulonge is working toward this goal, and the land is currently in the final stages of notarization.
At the same time, this marks the end of the Pontiac Swimming Pool Committee, which hopes to focus instead on a swimming pool project that could come from the private sector. The two-acre site located on Proudfoot Road in Fort-Coulonge, near the Draveurs Recreation Center and the arena, was acquired by the committee in 2018. Since then, several announcements have been made, including the unveiling of the Pontiac Pool Committee’s desired concept. Led by former Otter Lake Mayor Kim Cartier-Villeneuve, the committee had disclosed its financial requirements. The project, initially estimated at approximately $12 million, had been revised downward. The project received financial support for planning and design, including $180,000 from the Regional Aid and Recovery Fund (FARR) program in 2021 and $225,000 for engineering plans from the Fund for Regions and Rural Areas (FRR) 4.
The project also received a conditional grant from the Commercial Wood Construction Expertise Centre. In the spring of 2024, at the organization’s annual general meeting, Fort-Coulonge municipal councillors expressed reservations about the long-term operation of infrastructure such as a swimming pool. According to information obtained by CHIP 101.9, the targeted government assistance never materialized. “I would have thought that the Quebec government would have been more sensitive to this need in our community. I’m not disparaging hockey, but when it comes to recreation, Quebec (the government) seems to favor arenas,” said Prefect Jane Toller, who made no secret of her disappointment with the Quebec government.
Apart from design and preparation plans, no investment by the Quebec government for the construction and management of the site has been confirmed. Seeking $8 million, the Pool Committee believes that this amount will not be invested by the various levels of government, at least not with the concept presented. However, according to Prefect Jane Toller, who was one of the main instigators of the project, the installation of a pool is not a dead concept.
She indicated that she would not run for re-election in 2025, after eight years as prefect of the Pontiac MRC, and expressed her desire to devote her energies to the business community. The Pontiac pool project could therefore undergo further changes and become a project that makes greater use of private property.
She also specified that Fort-Coulonge remains the intended location for this facility.
A recreational project with political overtones
The Pontiac swimming pool project, announced for Fort-Coulonge, sparked several reactions, including that of Campbell’s Bay municipal councillor Jean-Pierre Landry, who has since expressed his intention to run for election as mayor of the Pontiac MRC. He had denounced the location of the pool and publicly attacked Prefect Jane Toller.
The Fort-Coulonge location had been denounced by the municipal councillor, who has never hidden his opposition to Jane Toller, who supported Michael McCrank in the 2021 elections. “We are surrounded by lakes and rivers, and many people cannot swim. This is an essential facility for the Pontiac. I will not be running in the next election, but as prefect, I am concerned,” said Jane Toller.