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Nestled between Lake Simcoe and the greater Toronto area, York Region is home to just over 1 million people and, with summer temperatures often settling into the higher 30’s or even surpassing 40 degrees Celsius, it’s no wonder that swimming pools are so prolific throughout the region. 

 

Not quite reaching to the city of Barrie at tip of Shanty Bay, York Region is bounded in the North by Lake Simcoe and extends all the way down through the municipalities of Aurora and Vaughan all the way to the Northern boundary of greater Toronto in the south. York Region is home to five seasonal outdoor public pools and nine indoor public swimming pools.  A simple internet search will yield current public pool access schedules and costs, but, on average, individual pool admission fees are less than ten dollars for whatever program you might be interested in. Or, as many individuals do, you may choose to enjoy a personal swimming pool in your own back yard.

 

Like all things in life, swimming pools require maintenance to keep them at their best. And whether a person is looking for supplies and materials for their own maintenance schedule or they are looking to hire a business to handle the maintenance for them, the local cities of Aurora, Newmarket and King City will have everything needed.  There are however, some basic considerations that must be observed due to the extremes of the weather. 

 

Aside from the usual ongoing maintenance issues that all pool owners face, there are two main considerations that pool owners in northern latitudes face, spring-time start-up and the converse, winterization of the pool itself. Starting at the beginning, and assuming that the pool was winterized correctly for the make, model and hardware involved, here are a list of simple general steps to point a pool owner in the right direction when opening up a pool for the summer season.

 

1-      Test the water before you remove the cover.  Based on the results of this test, acquire the chemicals and materials needed to address the water issues.

2-      Locate all the small parts, plugs and tools needed prior to commencing work on the pool, otherwise finding these things while the pool is purging or leaking may be somewhat stressful, for the owner and for the pool.

3-      After making sure you have all the chemicals and test kits needed, it’s time to open the pool up and deliver the initial shock, killing off any resident harmful growths and resetting the pH balance of the water.

4-      If, upon opening the pool, it’s discovered that the situation is too severe, there are always two final options; drain and refill the pool, or call in the professionals to do the job.

 

Naturally, once the pool has been started up correctly and run for a full season of enjoyment, winterization is the next major consideration for outdoor pools in the York Region.  With so many variables specific to each pool, the winterization process will vary too widely to describe in any useful measure.  A pool owner will have to refer to their specific documentation for the procedures to follow for their pool. Essentially, the general version is as follows:

 

1-      Clean the filter and pump assembly

2-      Clean the pool itself

3-      Apply winterization chemicals (which vary from pool to pool)

4-      Remove and store all equipment in a secure location against use next spring

5-      Freeze proof all equipment and plumbing lines

 

If care is taken with the start-up and winterization processes, a pool can provide many years of summertime enjoyment with minimal fuss, even in York Region, where winter will undoubtedly return soon enough.