Canada's star swimmer Summer McIntosh thrives amidst a surge of old public pool closures across the country

Canada's star swimmer Summer McIntosh thrives amidst a surge of old public pool closures across the country

Canada is facing a growing challenge with aging pools and frequent closures, impacting youth swimming development, water safety, and community health. In response, various strategies have been proposed to address these issues.

Actions to Address Aging Pools

1. Invest in Pool Maintenance and Upgrades: Regular maintenance and timely upgrades can help extend the lifespan of pools, preventing sudden closures. Governments and municipalities should allocate funds for maintenance and focus on improving energy efficiency and reducing operational costs through upgrades.
2. Fund New Pool Construction: Encouraging private-public partnerships can help fund the construction of new pools, distributing the financial burden and ensuring modern, sustainable facilities. Prioritizing areas with high demand and limited access to swimming facilities is crucial.
3. Promote National Funding Initiatives: Establishing a national fund dedicated to aquatic facility development and maintenance could address the issue on a larger scale, similar to initiatives in other sectors like water infrastructure programs.

Strategies for Youth Swimming Development

1. Increase Access to Remaining Pools: Encouraging flexible scheduling, extended hours, and efficient pool usage management can help accommodate more swimmers.
2. Promotional Programs: Outreach programs promoting swimming benefits and achievements of Canadian swimmers like Summer McIntosh can encourage participation. Collaborating with schools and community centers to incorporate swimming into physical education curricula can also boost participation.

Enhancing Water Safety

1. Community Education and Training: Providing water safety education and increasing the availability of lifeguard training programs can ensure adequate supervision at remaining pools.
2. Public Awareness Campaigns: Raising public awareness about the impact of pool closures on water safety and the need for community support to maintain aquatic facilities can help garner support.

Collaboration and Policy Changes

1. Intersectoral Collaboration: Encouraging collaboration between municipalities, universities, and private entities can help share resources and expertise in maintaining and developing aquatic facilities.
2. Policy Reforms: Advocating for policy changes that support local decision-making and funding for community infrastructure like swimming pools can help address the issue. Lobbying for increased government support and subsidies for aquatic facilities, especially in underserved areas, is also important.

The closing of pools across Canada is becoming more common due to aging infrastructure and lack of maintenance. With fewer than 70 50-metre pools remaining in Canada, the standard for Olympic, Paralympic, and world championship competition, the concern for future swimming talents and program shrinkage due to limited pool space is growing.

Jocelyn Jay, Swimming Canada's associate director of sport development, emphasizes the importance of addressing pool facilities to prevent long-term implications, as drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental death for children in Canada. Lo, president of a swim club, shares similar concerns, advocating for the federal government to take the lead on pool investment to address the issue.

In some areas, the impact of pool closures is already being felt. For example, the Winnipeg club's St. James Civic Centre pool is closed until next year for repairs, and the University of Manitoba's pool is out of commission indefinitely. In Vancouver, the Hillcrest Aquatic Centre operates at 113% capacity and has an 8,000-person waitlist for fall swim lessons.

By implementing these strategies, Canada can address the challenges posed by aging pools, promote youth swimming development, and enhance water safety across the country.

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