Residents rally to save Silver Springs outdoor dive pool

People who live in the northwest Calgary community of Silver Springs are raising money to save their outdoor dive pool.

The 39-year-old facility needs to be replaced and while the city has agreed to do the work repairing the adjacent lane pool, it says the community needs to come up with the extra $1.9 million to fund the additional repairs. The community foundation trying to save the dive tank says fewer young people will come to play during the summer.

"What we have here in Silver Springs is a need here to engage ouryouth, the school age children into the teenage years, to keep them coming to this facility," said Cydney Elofson, president of the Silver Springs Outdoor Pool Fundraising Foundation.

"Without the dive tank and the types of activity that happens with the dive tank the showing off for your friends, the dares, all the fun stuff that happens over the summer we know that youth are not going to use this facility to the extent that they do right now."

The community has until next April to come up with the money.

So far, it has raised $140,000 in grants and donations.

It isnow looking for private organizations and corporations to help out.