After the site was chosen, the pool went to tender. More bad news followed. The quotes started at $90,000, which was the equivalent of six homes in Applewood Acres.
But Don and his fellow members were again not to be shaken. They persuaded the Township that the pool was worth $90,000 to the community and on April 11, 1963 it opened. It was built by D.A. Sinclair Limited, a local company from nearby Cooksville. The Lions Club had raised $25,000 toward the construction of the pool. The Township came through to complete the financing.
According to Jerry Love, Director of Recreation, who acted as master of ceremonies for the official opening, dignitaries from the Township, the Dixie Lions Club, along with many other notables, were on hand.
A cheque was formally presented to the Township by Don McLean and then the ribbon was cut. But it was the Deputy Reeve of Toronto Township, Applewood’s own Chic Murray who made the biggest headlines that evening.
Mr. Murray was unceremoniously thrown into the pool, clothes and all. Fred Gunther, Lions Club historian, recalls it was all in fun and the Deputy Reeve felt so as well.
Bill McLean speaks at ceremony dedicating the pool as the Don McLean Westacres Pool while the McLean family looks on: Photo by Sophie Cook
As the Applewood Acres community started to celebrate its 50th anniversary in the summer of 2001, the Applewood Acres Homeowners Association joined with the Lions Club of Dixie Mississauga and The City of Mississauga in recognizing the truly monumental efforts of area resident Don McLean, who, during his many years in the community was never in the public eye, but certainly had the public’s best interest in his heart.
The naming of the pool comes just 10 years after the City of Mississauga announced it was considering closing the pool forever. However, Parks and Recreation recommended that eight local pools should be kept open in 1992 and Council agreed.
It became an issue of ‘use it or lose it.’ During this period I sat as President of the Homeowners’ Association, and I was outraged that Councillor Nando Iannicca, who succeeded me when I retired as Councillor, failed to inform our group of the City’s plan to close the pool.
The City announced that it would hear comments in September, after the season closed. The report stated that attendance at Westacres Pool had increased by 17 per cent in 1991.
The report also stated that the cost of operating the pool had increased 100 per cent from 1986 to 1991. It was estimated at the time that it would cost $270,000 over the next 10 years.
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