Aurora
July 22, 2008 08:59 AM
By: Simone Joseph, Staff Writer
There isn’t enough room in the pool.
Two swim club coaches in Aurora are headed to council to figure out a way for everyone to have equal time and to solve any future squabbles over conflicts at the town’s two swimming pools.
At odds are the Aurora Selkies Swim Club and the Master Ducks and Triathon Club.
On one hand, Yvonne Cattrall of the Selkies believes a policy to prevent unfair monopolizing of the pool is needed.
“We have a huge number of swimmers waiting to use the pool,” she said.
Nancy Black, coach of the Master Ducks, would like to see a more encompassing policy that not only addresses the needs of the swim clubs, but also those of other groups such as synchronized swimming and water polo teams, that also use the pools.
“I think we are rushing ahead on a policy,” Ms Black said.
The whole issue of unfair allocation of pool times arose because Selkies and Master Ducks wanted the same pool time.
In the end, the Selkies got extra hours.
“We were told no, there is no recourse. We were told the house is full,” Ms Black said.
The debate between the Aurora Selkies and the Ducks is just a small part of a wider problem — a shortage of pool time availability in Aurora.
“It is a double-edged sword. It identifies that the community is involved in recreation. It indicates we have a greater demand than supply for pool time,” said leisure services director Al Downey, referring to the two public pools — The Aurora Family Leisure Complex on Industrial Parkway North and The Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex.
The imbalance in times is not just a pool issue, it occurs in other sports such as ball and soccer, Mr. Downey added.
But he is hopeful council will have a better idea of the town’s future recreation needs once a master recreation plan is finished.
Staff is expected to present the report in September.
Council delayed deciding on the pool policy so it could go to a town committee that discusses leisure services issues.
If Aurora does get a pool policy it will be unique because no other community in York Region has such a policy, Mr. Downey said.
In the end, the Selkies are getting public pool hours for the first time, but not as many hours as they requested while the Ducks maintain the same number of hours as last year.