By Jason Mitchell
When this young family bought their home 20 years ago, the backyard pool was the catalyst that sealed the deal. It featured a large, freeform pool, with lots of space for kids to splash and play.
Summer after summer was spent outside, enjoying the pool. Family, neighbours, and friends all gathered in the backyard which brought so much joy.
Fast forward to 2022, and the family had evolved. The kids had grown up, busy with lives of their own. The pool still saw use, but the days of endless diving and handstands were in the past.
These avid entertainers were not ready to wrap up their backyard story. At some point, they had installed an outdoor TV on the shed to watch golf and soccer matches while floating in the pool. This inspired a new vision—they wanted to continue to enjoy outdoor entertainment. This was the time for poolside afternoons to stretch into evenings, with friends and family eager to stay and enjoy the space long after the sun would set. They saw the value in a pool, having enjoyed it for many years, but they wanted to incorporate more into their outdoor space.
And so began the quest for their dream backyard renovation.
To renovate or remove?
To elevate the space, the client wanted to add a pavilion with storage, a large outdoor dining area, a complete outdoor kitchen, and a hot tub. However, their existing, older-style pool, typical of its era, occupied a substantial portion of the backyard’s square footage, making the wish list a bit of a challenge. To top it off, there are four unique access points to the yard, each needing consideration.
As always, township setbacks need to be considered when designing a backyard pool with a structure, but this property became more of a challenge with city easement in the backyard. The 9.1- x 15.2-m (30- x 50-ft) space was starting to feel tight.
The scope of the work required to ensure the backyard aligned with the vision meant there was no salvaging the existing pool; a complete overhaul quickly became the better option.
