St. FX University has decided to delay the re-opening of the Alumni Aquatic Centre until
Local Special Olympics Athlete Alex Dearden competing at Alumni Aquatic Centre
September, 2021.
In a letter to the St. FX and the greater Antigonish Community the school’s Vice-President of Finance and Administration, Andrew Beckett says there were a number of factors behind the decision. He says while St. FX has introduced robust COVID-19 health and safety guidelines and re-opened campus to the general public on a limited basis, the additional requirements to safely operate the aquatic centre during a pandemic present challenges it’s can’t fulfill.
Beckett adds that given the university’s substantial financial losses related to COVID-19, the university is not in the position to operate the facility at this time.
Beckett says while the decision is disappointing for both St. FX and the wider community, the need to ensure the health and safety of pool users and balance financial losses related to COVID-19 is paramount.