VICTORIA -- After a lengthy closure amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre in downtown Victoria will reopen to the public starting Feb. 1.

Anyone looking to use the facility’s pool or fitness facility must register online or by phone before arriving due to COVID-19.

Registration for classes, leisure swims, lane swimming and fitness programs will open on Jan. 28 at 9 a.m.

The City of Victoria says that registration will help staff at the recreation centre manage capacity limits, which are in place due to the pandemic.

While other community centres opened earlier in the pandemic, the city decided to delay Crystal Pool’s reopening so that it could make repairs to the facility’s air handling system, which was originally scheduled to take place later this year.

“Access to recreation provides much needed physical, mental and emotional health benefits at a time our community needs them most,” said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps in a release Friday.

“Opening Crystal Pool is a significant step in our recreation recovery plan and the safety measures in place allow people to stay safe while they stay active,” she said.

To register for the facility, or to find further information, visit the Crystal Pool website