Case Study: Stainless Steel Whirlpool Renovation
We were approached by the project architect to explore whether our team could deliver a solution for the renovation of the public whirlpool at the Earl Mah Aquatic Centre in Prince Rupert, British Columbia.
The original whirlpool, built in 1982, had been closed due to severe leakage issues — by the time it shut down, the amount of water leaking out was nearly equal to the pool’s inflow.
Rethinking the Renovation Strategy
The initial idea was to demolish the old hot tub completely and build a new one from scratch. However, this proved impossible. The aquatic centre was built on elevated structural pillars, and demolishing the original basin would have left a void in the floor, posing a potential risk to the building’s structural integrity.
This is where stainless steel became the ideal solution.
Why Stainless Steel?
Lightweight construction
Flexible custom fabrication
No need for full demolition
Preserves building structure
Speeds up construction time
Smart Design Meets Smart Installation
Our team custom-designed a new stainless steel whirlpool that mirrored the original shape. Rather than demolish the entire tub, we simply installed the new pool over the existing concrete shell. The only demolition required was a small area between the whirlpool and the mechanical room, to allow for piping and system connections.
Despite the remote location, the new whirlpool was completed in just 3 weeks, with the full installation — including mechanical systems and paving by subcontractors — wrapped up within 1 month.
The project was successfully completed in 2018.
Features of the New Whirlpool
14 hydromassage seats, each with a unique configuration:
10 jets at 2 × 1 m³/h (8 back + 2 leg jets)
6 jets at 1 × 8 m³/h (water)
Air massage system:
14 bench jets delivering 25 m³/h of air
2 floor bubblers at 70 m³/h
2 suction drains
1 hydro-static relief valve
2 stainless steel skimmers
3 RGB LED underwater lights
3 headrests for added comfort
This same overlay installation technique can be applied to swimming pools of any size or shape. It’s an ideal approach for renovations where full demolition is risky, costly, or not feasible — allowing municipalities to modernize aquatic facilities quickly and safely while maintaining structural integrity.