It appears as though the last lap has been swam at Thames Pool.
In a narrow vote, London city councillors voted 8-7 at a meeting on Tuesday night to decommission the pool, effectively ending the usage of the summertime staple in Old South.
However, supporters of the pool did not go down without a fight.
"We have heard from the community that they would like us to repair it and seek out those long term options," said councillor Skylar Franke, who represents the ward the pool is in. "That way folks in Old South know there's potentially a pool open in 2025 or 2026 they'll be able to access."
Franke had asked her colleagues to vote down the motion to decommission the pool and instead proceed with a plan that included community fundraising to keep the pool open.
Instead, Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis and councillors Hadleigh McAllister, Peter Cuddy, Steve Lehman, Paul Van Meerbergen, Elizabeth Peloza, David Ferreria and Steve Hillier voted to close the pool.
However, the plan they voted for includes plans for new amenities in the neighbourhood.
"There is no guarantee that money spent on a repair will even allow the repair to be finished before another flood puts us right back to where we are today," said Lewis. "Use that money (that would have been spent on a repair) to provide the community some other amenities right now."
Thames Pool underwent a significant renovation in 2010 and the change rooms got updated in 2021.
It was closed in 2022 due to damage from flooding from the Thames River.
Earlier this month, councillors received a report outlining the costs to repair the pool - with staffers noting that there was no guarantee the repair would prevent future flooding damage.
The least costly repair option came with a bill exceeding $2.2-million.
Lewis suggested building an indoor pool at Murray Park or Rowntree Park - both not far from where the current outdoor facility is.
"I think we have to come to the realization that it's time to say goodbye to Thames Pool," said Lewis. "Let's invest in the community in a responsible way, and lets start the ball rolling on a new location."
As for what could be built in or around Old South, the motion identified a splash pad and pickleball or basketball courts as possibilities.
Franke, Mayor Josh Morgan and councillors Susan Stevenson, Jerry Pribil, Sam Trosow, Corrine Rahman and Anna Hopkins voted to search for other avenues to keep the pool open.
"They have provided a strategy to move forward that I am supportive of," Rahman said of the community's efforts to keep the pool open. "I want to thank the community for reaching out and thinking outside the box on this matter."
Council also committed to funding transportation options to get people from the downtown core and Old South to other pools in the city.