The 2 indoor swimming pools at the Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre, located at 870 Queen Street East, have been converted to solar heating. It is estimated that the savings derived from heating the 2 pools with a solar hot water system will be over $12,000 annually.

The Jimmie Simpson pool is now Canada’s largest solar-heated pool. In order to heat the pools with solar power 2 solar heating systems are used. The 2 systems combined use a total of 91 unglazed collector panels on the flat roof of the pool area. A temperature sensor measures the solar temperature and the wind temperature to determine whether solar heating is available. The system is controlled by the building’s computerized control system.

According to Natural Resources Canada , “Glazed or unglazed solar collectors can cost-effectively supply a portion of the heating requirement for indoor swimming pools.  For year-round pool use, a backup heating system will be required but solar heaters can be sufficient for a seasonally used swimming pool”. The Jimmie Simpson is used year-round, yet in the press release there was no mention of a back-up system or how heat is to be supplied if no solar heating is available.

I appreciate that a solar heating system uses renewable energy, saves money, and protects the environment, but in the city’s zeal to promote the Solar Neighbourhoods Program, a joint project of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, Toronto Energy Efficiency Office, Toronto Environment Office, and Toronto Hydro, I don’t think that we have been given an unbiased account of how a solar heating system works in our climate. I would like to see exactly what a solar heating system in a home costs, including annual maintenance, repairs, etc., factoring in the cash rebates and incentives, and an estimate of how many years it would take to pay for itself. I think that it’s wonderful to help the environment, but in touch economic times, people will need to make decisions that are best for them financially and put the environment second.