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The 39 pools in Toronto public schools initially slated to close as early as September will stay afloat for another year with the province committing $4 million in one-time funding.

“We’ve agreed that these are important community assets,” said Michelle Despault, Ministry of Education spokesperson, confirming the $4-million will go toward operating the pools for a year to give time for a long-term solution to be found.

The provincial grant was announced Thursday after Toronto District School Board (TDSB) chair John Campbell received a letter from former Toronto mayor David Crombie, who was asked by the TDSB in April to propose a long-term sustainable solution to help keep pools opened.

One of Crombie’s recommendations was to establish an “aquatics working group” consisting of members from the public school board as well as the city and province. The working group would be assigned to perform the following tasks.

* Carry out a complete inventory of all pools available for public use and assess the demand for access for these pools by all user groups within each community.

* Develop a standard for evaluation of all public indoor pools and audit on a pool-by-pool basis current conditions and state of repair, providing analysis of capital and operating costs.

* Review best practices on pool governance models and make appropriate recommendations.

* Identify community partners and strategic projects which would provide on-going operation of school pools.

* Explore alternative energy options that would dramatically decrease pool operation costs without significant capital contributions.

“There is solid support for the development of a community-based, long-term strategy for the use of pools and a willingness to work together,” Crombie wrote in the letter.

Campbell was pleased with the initial recommendations by Crombie.

“They’re thoughtful and constructive,” he told insidetoronto.com.

The school board can’t financially sustain the pools, said Campbell, but added the pools are still assets belonging to the board and could offer access and possibly provide long-term leases to interested parties such as community aquatics groups.

“I’m confident that at the end of the process, there will be a much better understanding of the value of pools within the community,” said Campbell, adding that people will also come to understand it’s not the school board’s position to provide aquatic programs for community residents.

Campbell also expected the information gathered by the aquatics working group (AWG) would reveal which school pools are needed and which ones are better off closing because of its poor state of repair.

Crombie suggested the AWG provide a report with the compiled data no later than March 1, 2009.