On the North Shore, I’m a part of a group of several hundred swimmers who keep in touch, and we all want to know where and when we can swim.
Some of us have chosen to swim together in the open waters of Burrard Inlet.
Recently, I heard someone in my group say “When we left we had 11 swimmers. Now we only have 10.” We quickly spotted the 11th person but then noticed a 12th swimming toward us. Lifeguards, coaches and loved-ones cringe!
The majority of our swimmers are not comfortable with unsupervised open water swimming. They are missing the fitness and social connections that they get while at the pool.
It is said that physical activity among children has dropped by 89% during the pandemic. Pool closures, so far, represent an estimated 300,000 pool visits missed across the North Shore.
Shouldn’t there be more urgency to get these facilities up and running again even at a lower capacity?
Over the past weeks, BC Recreation and Parks Association, BC Life Saving Society and Swim BC have released COVID-19 re-start guidelines that are very specific, comprehensive and aligned with the Public Health Office directives.
To date, private North Shore sports entities like Canlan Ice Sports, North Shore Winter Club and Hollyburn Country Club have embraced the challenge, developed new protocols, communicated them to their users and are implementing them. There are at least two indoor and one outdoor privately-run pools in the Vancouvers that have re-opened under Covid-19.
North Shore public recreation organizations have rightly endorsed a safe and slow approach to re-opening.
The North Shore has no public outdoor pools, but our indoor facilities can easily accommodate the aquatic protocols related to physical distancing, cleaning, proper operation and managing capacities. Pool sizes allow them to accommodate enough swimmers under the new protocols to make it economic to open. Social distancing and cleanliness can be accommodated.
Private operators are using a reservation system to minimize line-ups and help ensure that users have guaranteed access at their chosen time and eliminate the frustration that users have when they arrive at the pool that is overcrowded.
A system like this could improve pool use at all hours even after the pandemic ends.
Aquatics opportunities for residents create economic impacts far beyond the supplies purchased and the salaries paid. This is the kind of progress that is needed across all parts of the economy. Initially one pool could be opened to test the protocols and train staff, then others could be opened quickly.
The lack of recreation and social connections is having an impact on physical and mental health.
If you support an urgent plan to open North Shore public pools, please comment on this article and share it and your concerns with our politicians and administrators listed here.”
Mike Dowling is a master swimmer and a Lynn Valley resident.
YMCA and the City of Kelowna have found a way to open their indoor pools on August 10, 2020. https://www.ymcaokanagan.ca/COVID19 No word from NVRCC yet.
Here is an email that I received today concerning this question. It is said that the municipalities that have not opened are in the minority.
“From: Concerned Aquatic Users in BC
Date: 2020-07-15 14:43 (GMT-08:00)
To:
Subject: Minority of Aquatic Facilities CHOOSING NOT to Open!
Dear Concerned Aquatic Users/User Groups,
We hope you enjoyed Summer so far! As of today, July 15th 2020, the majority of outdoor aquatic facilities have opened in BC (Municipalities of Princeton, Keremeos, Kamloops, Oliver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Richmond, Langley City (not Township of Langley), Vancouver, Port Moody, New Westminster, Pitt Meadows, etc). Various Water Parks like Cultus Lake Big Splash, Vernon Splashdown, Bridal Falls, Kelowna have also opened to the public. Some indoor facilities have also opened (while some are limited) like the UBC Aquatic Centre, Saanich Commonwealth Place, Jewish Community Centre, etc. Various indoor aquatic facilities around Canada have re-opened.
In this newsletter, we would like to ask questions pertaining to two topics: Why the minority of municipalities that still have NOT re-opened and the operating rules pertaining to some facilities.
A minority of municipalities have not yet assigned a date to re-open or communicated to their taxpayers regarding their plans and taxpayer benefits. Various facilities around BC have started to open yet some facilities have deliberately chosen NOT to open even without direction to close by Dr Bonnie Henry or Local Health Authorities. These municipalities should be held accountable!
Municipalities should outline and provide a report to taxpayers and user groups as to how they handled the pandemic and why. Some municipalities have done a good job, while some have been very slow to adapt! It seems like these people are behind the times and are not being managed well. What is the leadership like in these slow reacting municipalities?
People have been laid off, children have been staying at home without physical activities, yet these Parks and Recreation Staff and Mayor & Council who taxpayers pay are still getting paid! Perhaps they should get pay cuts to help facilities open. Perhaps taxpayers should be refunded without the operation of aquatic (and other community) facilities. Taxpayers and citizens should be concerned about this! If facilities need to operate at a further loss for the wellbeing of the community so be it!
Some municipalities use legal wording to argue against the re-opening of facilities. We wonder if these municipalities are saying that municipalities that have re-opened did so in the wrong (illegal) manner and without due diligence? There is talk about insurance concerns. Some people in the community are concerned about re-opening and the time is not right. We wonder where the expert’s opinion weigh of this?
Municipalities that have not opened are behind the curve. These municipalities (this seems to be in collusion) have not considered the best interest of pubic users and user groups. The Parks & Recreation Managers have been meeting for months about how to re-open yet some have re-opened and others seem to more concerned about their budgets that the wellbeing of the community. Even more, these municipalities only make decisions unilaterally and do not consult the public and user groups.
Aquatic facilities bring about multiple physical and mental benefits to its participants. Children also learn basic water safety and swimming in local pools. Users gain positive benefits like mental and physical stimulation and wellbeing. This is beneficial especially during the local vacations that families take in lakes and open water areas. Some municipalities (like the City of Vancouver) have imposed a rule pertaining to the age of users. Why is this the case? You can have a 10-18 year old swimmer who is much more competent than a 19 years and over swimmer! Limiting ages for lap swimming is clearly a discriminatory rule against the youth! Have adults being barred from entering pools at a certain time? If not, why not? Is there a legal standing for discrimination? We need lawyers out there to pursue this for concerned aquatic users.
These municipalities who choose not to collaborate and should be held accountable! In the next Municipal election perhaps ask your local Mayor & Council how they helped the community get back to sport! Those people who are not comfortable with re-opening should remain at home and not use these facilities! These people only think of themselves and not for the society! We wonder if these same people do they go out and shop, go for haircuts, walk in public, etc.
Local newspapers are not reporting why various municipalities still do not re-open while others are open. We ask the papers to talk to local user groups, public patrons and ask the question. Municipalities are operating with no accountability. Why not uncover the truth and have municipalities open for the betterment of the community and not stay closed to save money! Health is more important than money!
We ask all municipalities to be transparent, re-open safety, and respond to users and taxpayers! Get re-opened!
Respectfully
Concerned Aquatic Users in BC”