A partnership returning for a third year has the YMCA managing the city-run Tecumseh pool this summer. The pool will be open daily June 29 through Aug. 25.
“We plan to be open every day in the summer, even Canada Day, weather permitting. If there’s a thunderstorm, we do have to close because it's an outdoor location,” said Paul Skuza, general manager of the YMCA Jerry McCaw Family Centre.
The city has spent time and resources on updating the layout and adding new paving around the pool. “It’s really smooth, it looks great. Everything is looking nice, clean and modern. It's in good shape,” Skuza said.
The pool will offer registered, paid swimming lessons in two-week-sessions, a drop-in parent and tot swim, open to any caregivers with children under 5 years and drop-in aquafit classes open to all ages and abilities.
“Aquafit is a low impact exercise workout class in the pool,” Skuza said, “but fun and for any age, any level of fitness.”
Adult swim is every morning, for 30 minutes before children are in the pool. “For adults who might want to get in and swim before they start their day and just for some exclusive pool time,” Skuza added.
Open/family swim times are scheduled every Monday to Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m and every evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., which is an expansion from last year's programming, Skuza said.
“[The] biggest thing we’ll offer [at Tecumseh pool] are recreational swims for the community every day twice a day there will be ‘open swims’ or ‘family swims,” Skuza continued. “On weekends, we've expanded… we have two sessions on both days for two and a half hours each, which is a little bit more than last year.”
Admission to swim is $2 per person or $6 for a whole household. The City of Sarnia is offsetting the costs, aiming to make it more affordable for swimmers. “The city is able to subsidize some of the cost,” explained Skuza.
Weekend swims are mostly free - covered by local groups or companies volunteering to pay the cost associated with the facilities and necessary staff during a swim slot in exchange for publicity and active brand visibility.
“Thanks to our friends at Noelle's Gift, for covering all Saturday morning swims. The Sarnia Firefighters Association for covering every Saturday afternoon from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. So there is never a charge on Saturday,” Skuza added. “Sunday morning is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Sarnia, so 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. there is no charge.”
Local groups and companies can sponsor swim time slots; the weekend swims are mostly covered, but there is not a weekday swim currently being sponsored, which is an issue for anyone in the community where cost is a barrier to accessing the pool.
“We don't have sponsors right now for any weekday swimmers. We are very grateful for anybody in the community that wants to sponsor either one or multiple [swim time slots],” Skuza continued. “They can have their company represented on our schedule and our social media and make sure people know that they're very generous about it.”
Safely managing aquatics programming at Tecumseh pool all summer requires trained YMCA swim instructors, lifeguards and other staff.
“Probably about 12 active staff on rotation between lifeguards and swim instructors and team leads as well as the membership staff at the window, so definitely a good sized team needed to pull it off,” Skuza said.