See Also: Kelsey Centre Review Committee Inaugural Meeting

The Kelsey Centre has been an integral part of Sayward since it was built with funding from the forest industry in 1974. Recently, rumours have been swirling about a pending closure, so we started digging through the publicly available information seeking clarity on the matter. Here is a timeline of what we have found so far.

In November 2024, The Village of Sayward put together a document on the Kelsey Centre for the purpose of presenting it to the Strathcona Regional District. The tone of this presentation seems to positively emphasize the value of the Kelsey Centre to the broader Sayward Region. You can browse this document below.

On January 12th, 2025, the Kelsey Centre posted this notice of temporary pool closure.

The Board of Directors (‘Board’) for the Strathcona Regional District has, by Res. 995.24, established the Kelsey Centre Review Committee to explore the current status of the Kelsey Centre recreation centre and the Village of  Sayward’s aspirations for the future operation and maintenance of the facility. The Committee shall automatically be dissolved upon fulfillment of its mandate.

 

The mandate of the Committee is to investigate options for the future of the Kelsey Centre and to advise the Board of its findings and, specifically:

 

– to investigate the operational costs of the facility and its current benefit to area residents;
– to consider the capital costs, if any, that may be required to improve and maintain the recreation centre as a viable recreation facility for the area;
– to explore the current status of the recreation facility and its possible role into the future including the aspirations of local residents and users; and
– to make recommendations to the Board with respect to the facility.

 

This committee is to be dissolved upon fulfillment of its mandate.

The Kelsey Centre closed down pending a repair to the heating system during a spell of cold weather in Sayward.

On February 14th, 2025, Strathcona Regional District Chief Administrative Officer Dave Leitch published the below staff report outlining the terms of reference for the Kelsey Centre Review Committee formed on January 22nd, 2025.

On February 14th, 2025 a Change.org petition to “Save the Sayward Kelsey Recreation Centre’s Pool from Closure” began circulating on Sayward related Facebook groups.

The petition notes:

“The Sayward pool at Kelsey Centre, where my children learned to swim and I learned lifeguarding as a young teen, is under threat of closure. This is not just an aquatic centre – it is a cradle of vital life skills where valuable lifelong friendships are nurtured. Over the past twenty years it has become integral, not only to my family, but also to the larger Sayward community for its contribution in promoting health and wellbeing.

Verifiable data suggests the direct correlation between regular swimming and overall health improvement. According to a report by the Swim England Health Commission, swimming reduces the risk of premature death by 28% – a predmoninant evidence for the importance of pools like ours (Swim England Health Commission, 2017).

Closure of this pool would deprive our community, especially the younger generations, of a meaningful space to learn, grow and socialize. This is about preserving the health, wellness and cohesion of our community. Let’s stand together to prevent the closure of our beloved Sayward Kelsey Centre’s pool. Please sign this petition to show your support for the unquantifiable value this establishment brings to Sayward.”

As of February 18th, 2025, the petition has garnered 343 signatures.

Some community members have penned letters in light of recently canceled Village Council meetings.

The Strathcona Regional District Kelsey Centre Review Committee Inaugural Meeting is scheduled to take place at 3:30 PM on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at the Strathcona Regional District offices located at 990 Cedar Street, Campbell River, B.C.

Regional Board and committee meeting agendas are typically published and available online by Friday evening the week prior to the meeting.

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With the information currently available, we are unable to make a clear determination as to the future of the Kelsey Centre. Anecdotal evidence points to the Village of Sayward and the Strathcona Regional District both acknowledging the value of having such a facility in Sayward, however the Kelsey Centre Review Committee has not yet had their first meeting. As such, we will revisit this story when more information becomes available.

If you have any information missing from this story, please email Hello@GoSayward.com.

Credits

Kelsey Centre Photo Image – The Village of Sayward

Kelsey Centre Presentation to SRD Board – The Village of Sayward

Pool Closure Notice – The Kelsey Centre

Heating Repair Closure Notice – The Kelsey Centre

Formation Of Kelsey Centre Review Committee – Strathcona Regional District

Terms Of Reference For Kelsey Centre Review Committee – Strathcona Regional District