TORONTO — For a 90-year-old retiree, Murray Hoffman is pretty active, but not as active as he’d like to be.

Hoffman, like hundreds of other seniors, enjoys the water exercise programs offered in the salt-water pool at the Joseph E. and Minnie Wagman Centre and Terraces of Baycrest Retirement Residence.

The trouble is, the pool has been out of commission since December and is not slated to re-open until April. And every year, the pool shuts down a couple of times a year for maintenance that usually last three or four weeks at a time.

Hoffman and his wife, Evelyn, live on their own, but they join many others from the Terrace and from outside to use the pool.

“We seniors depend on that place,” Hoffman said. “It’s hard for us to walk, and we can do our exercise in the pool. We depend on it. Our health depends on it.”

Hoffman said it’s taking too long to get the pool up and running again.

According to Anna Ballon, director of the Terraces of Baycrest, there’s a good reason repairs are taking so long.

To start with, the ceiling in the pool room requires repairs.

“Due to the exceptionally cold weather, Baycrest repair crews have been responding to urgent repairs on the main hospital campus related to pipe freezes and other cold-weather issues. Baycrest will make the pool room repairs a  top priority as soon as the cold-weather emergency repairs to building infrastructure are completed,” she stated.

In addition, she said, “the pool is closed three times a year for two weeks at a time for general maintenance.

“Baycrest apologizes to all those who depend on and enjoy the pool program. We appreciate everyone’s patience while repairs are underway,” Ballon said.

“The warm-water, salt-water pool… is an important part of the health and wellbeing of our members and residents. 

“The pool was closed in December as part of a regularly scheduled maintenance inspection, which takes place three times a year. In the most recent inspection, it was determined that repairs are required to the pool area in order to continue to offer the water programs. We are addressing the work that is required and plan to re-open the pool in April.

“In the meantime, we have increased the complement of our other programs, and all members and residents are invited to attend an unlimited number of them until the pool re-opens.” 

Approximately 355 Wagman Centre members use the pool.