MONTREAL - The city of Montreal is finding itself in a budget crunch, with the central city planning to chop $170 million in expenses for 2012.
Some of those reductions are coming from passing costs to the 19 boroughs, which are also facing tight budgets.
The Southwest borough is looking at a $2 million shortfall.
That means the Ville Emard Bath, a public indoor pool that was renovated seven years ago, will be closed because the borough just cannot afford it any more.
The pool itself is owned by the central city, and although the borough is responsible for maintenance and renovations, it has to pay $190,000 in rent each year.
"We pay a rent to the city on this building and we also have to make all the works on the Bain Emard," said borough councillor Veronique Fournier.
With the pool needing an estimated million dollars in renovations in the coming years, the borough of 70,000 says it simply cannot afford it any more.
"The more we grow, the more we lose on budgets so we have to make those choices," said Fournier.
Those choices mean swimmers will have to content themselves with the remaining two outdoor and four indoor pools.
Denis Goulet is a regular at the pool, and doesn't want to go anywhere else.
"I've got a petition of about 300 names at the moment," said Goulet. "They come swimming here in the afternoon and they want the place."
Lucie Fafard is another person who is reluctant to go to another pool.
"There's another pool a little further away, but the hours are not convenient," said Fafard.
In addition to the Ville Emard Bath, the borough is closing the St. Paul Community Centre and laying off 14 employees, not including people who work at the buildings that will be closed.
