Into the Deep: Is a New Pool a Pipe Dream or a Priority for Clarenville?
The promise of building a pool/wellness centre in Clarenville has been political catnip in recent municipal elections. There has been much discussion in the community and the council about what to include in the facility. But the single most important issue, the cost and the Town's ability to pay for the facilities' operation, has been largely ignored.
Yes, a pool is a great idea. But it will come with an ongoing cost that we all need to be clear on before we go further.
Is a new swimming pool a "must-have" for our growing town, or a luxury we simply can’t afford alone? At Tuesday's public meeting, Clarenville Council put $115,000 on the table to hire a consultant to answer that very question.
It’s a move that puts us on a similar path to the Town of Paradise. As we start this process, we have to ask: in a town of 7,200 people, how do we build a multimillion-dollar wellness centre without drowning the taxpayer?
The "Paradise" Reality Check
The Town of Paradise is a step ahead of us in the planning process. That town of 24,000 hired the consulting firm Stantec in 2025 to complete their own pool feasibility study.
Their study, released late last fall, delivered some hard truths:
Construction: Estimated between $46M and $67M.
Operations: It costs nearly $1.8 million every single year just to keep the lights on and the water warm.
The "Pool Tax": Even with an estimated 275,000 drop-in swimmers a year, Paradise would still need a $100-per-house "Pool Tax" just to break even.
Spooked by the estimates, Paradise chose not to budget any funds for construction in 2026, opting instead for more discussions with funding partners. Keep in mind: Paradise has an annual budget of $52 million. Clarenville is less than one-third that size, with an annual budget of $13 million, yet we are exploring a facility of similar scope.
Construction: Estimated between $46M and $67M.
Operations: It costs nearly $1.8 million every single year just to keep the lights on and the water warm.
The "Pool Tax": Even with an estimated 275,000 drop-in swimmers a year, Paradise would still need a $100-per-house "Pool Tax" just to break even.
The Tale of the Tape: Paradise vs. Clarenville
Feature Paradise (Suburban Giant) Clarenville (Regional Hub) Population ~24,500 ~7,200 Annual Budget $52 Million $13 Million Residential Tax Rate 7.40 mills (Lower)* 8.30 mills (Higher)* Commercial Tax Rate 11.50 mills (Higher)* 9.50 mills (Lower)* Study Cost $74,897 (Stantec) $115,000 (2026 Consultant) Study Scope Swimming Pool Only Regional Wellness Centre
* A Mill is the dollar amount of municipal tax paid by a home/business owner per thousand dollars of taxable property value.
The Regional Reality
In Clarenville's case, this project is being touted as a "Regional" Wellness Centre, implying that the region can and will help support its construction and operation. However, a look at our local geography reveals a difficult truth.
Clarenville is the undisputed hub of the region, but our neighbours are a collection of much smaller towns and unincorporated communities with very limited tax bases. If this were to be a truly "Regional" centre, shouldn't we be asking for a formalized funding agreement with our neighbours before we commit to the build? Otherwise, Clarenville taxpayers need to be prepared to carry the weight for the entire region.
The Shared Dilemma
Neither Paradise nor Clarenville town has the capacity to build such a facility without a generous "triple-split" (Federal/Provincial/Municipal) funding agreement. Without the higher levels of government picking up 70–80% of the tab, these projects simply won’t float.
Furthermore, both towns have competing "Big Hurdles." While Paradise is busy replacing a fire-damaged Town Depot, Clarenville is balancing the construction of a pool against a housing infrastructure crisis (800+ units needed), necessary water plant upgrades must be made, and mandated wastewater treatment needs to take place by 2030.
What Do You Think?
We all want a place for our kids to learn to swim and a spot for seniors to stay active, but the numbers are significant.
The Budget Bite: A $1M–$1.8M annual operating cost (likely borne solely by the Town) would eat up approximately 10% of Clarenville’s total budget. In Paradise, that same cost would amount to only 3.5%.
The Tax Burden: Since Clarenville’s residential tax rate is already higher than Paradise’s, is it fair to ask homeowners for more, or should we wait for more commercial investment?
Regional Reality: Can we really afford this on our own if the surrounding towns' contributions are minimal?
Consider these questions:
Did Clarenville get the best possible value in its contract for a Feasibility Study?
Are you willing to pay an extra tax (potentially $300+) on your tax bill to make this happen?
What implications will this have for housing affordability in Clarenville? Will people simply build elsewhere - or not at all?
Will this Feasibility report answer a question that we (should) already know the answer to?
Should we prioritize "Wellness" and "Childcare" to make the facility more viable, or should we focus on housing and infrastructure first?
Drop a comment below—let’s talk about it!
The Budget Bite: A $1M–$1.8M annual operating cost (likely borne solely by the Town) would eat up approximately 10% of Clarenville’s total budget. In Paradise, that same cost would amount to only 3.5%.
The Tax Burden: Since Clarenville’s residential tax rate is already higher than Paradise’s, is it fair to ask homeowners for more, or should we wait for more commercial investment?
Regional Reality: Can we really afford this on our own if the surrounding towns' contributions are minimal?
Did Clarenville get the best possible value in its contract for a Feasibility Study?
Are you willing to pay an extra tax (potentially $300+) on your tax bill to make this happen?
What implications will this have for housing affordability in Clarenville? Will people simply build elsewhere - or not at all?
Will this Feasibility report answer a question that we (should) already know the answer to?
Should we prioritize "Wellness" and "Childcare" to make the facility more viable, or should we focus on housing and infrastructure first?
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