Hamilton city councillors voted against a motion to explore the feasibility of an Olympic-sized aquatic facility.

The motion passed the General Issues Committee with a 9-1 vote but was defeated 8-7 in the city council.

Mark Tadeson, who was the only councillor to vote against the motion in the committee, said an Olympic-sized pool would be an aspirational goal but urged the council to focus on community pools. “This is the wrong priority at the wrong time,” he said.

The motion sought to direct staff to study the feasibility of a 50-metre pool, including site requirements, capital and operating costs, and potential funding and partnership models.

As reported by the Hamilton Spectator, Mayor Andrea Horwath said there is “very little access” to an Olympic pool in the city and its surrounding municipal area.

The motion did not commit to building the pool but was intended to provide information on its feasibility.

The motion said the review will explore partnerships or shared-use models with post-secondary institutions or the private sector to mitigate financial and logistical constraints.

David Hart, a former Olympic water polo player, told the newspaper that Hamilton was at the forefront of swimming in the mid-20^th century but has since fallen behind. The Hamilton water polo coach said his teams often travel to Brantford to train.

Hamilton’s new recreation master plan recommended the development of four new indoor pools by 2051.

Note: This article was updated after the motion was defeated.