Members of the Fredericton Aquanauts Swim Team (FAST) are asking Fredericton city councillors to help find a solution to the shortage of pool space that will occur once the Sir Max Aitken pool closes in 2018.
FAST co-captain Sarah Kelly, 16, took the podium at the city’s community services committee meeting Thursday, highlighting the importance of the FAST program to youth and the entire community.
“I think swimming is such an important part of everyone’s life,” Kelly said. “It can take you from your youngest years to your oldest years, it’s accommodating for everybody and it’s important that we have a facility to accommodate everyone.”
Kelly said registration for the pre-competitive program usually fills up within six hours following registration, and said that leaves many people on a waiting list. Something that could become even more of a problem once the Sir Max Aitken pool closes in September 2018 at the University of New Brunswick.
READ MORE: UNB Fredericton’s Sir Max Aitken Pool, Lady Beaverbrook Gym to close in 2018
She said there are approximately 2,000 people who use the pool weekly and said she spends every day there training.
“The pool closing isn’t just about the pool closing, it’s about everybody who’s involved in the pool closing and what the programs who use the pool have taught people and what they can take with them throughout their life,” Kelly said.
While she wasn’t expecting an immediate answer or solution from council, she said she was “encouraged” by what she heard at the meeting.
“It’s exciting to see that they’re supporting what we’re talking about, it’s exciting to see that they enjoyed the presentation also. It’s hard to think about a future still without a pool once September 2018 comes around, but they did seem to be encouraging and that was exciting after having done the presentation,” Kelly said.
WATCH: The decommissioning of the University of New Brunswick’s Sir Max Aitken pool has been on the minds of many in Fredericton. Area resident Pamela Moxon says she’s heartbroken her sons with special needs may not have anywhere to train. Something she says has made all the difference in their lives. Adrienne South has more.
FAST head coach Marta Belsh was one of dozens of other supporters at the meeting. Belsh said she was proud of Kelly’s presentation and said the goal was to share with the city and public how much the program means to the community.
“We wanted to share with the city and with the public and the larger community really how much our program means to us and then what we do beyond just competitive swimming … That’s what we really wanted to highlight and make sure that many members of the community understand that it’s not just about swimming, but it’s about actually raising a well-rounded community-minded people and community-minded athletes,” Belsh said. “I think that’s really important to us because that’s what really makes us very special and different,”
Belsh said the pre-competitive program fills the need in the community, teaching valuable life skills that go beyond swimming.
She said it’s also about learning how to be safe around water and how to be able to provide for themselves in the water and program start for children as young as five years old.
“I think we wanted to make sure we get out the message to the community how much of a need we are in the Fredericton area and in the region how much we do need the facility that is capable of providing for a different number of groups,” Belsh said. “We also want to make sure we have as much space as possible so we can accommodate as many members as possible.”
Fredericton Coun. Steven Hicks, who chairs the community services committee said he was pleased with the presentation, but said a new performing arts centre remains the city’s top priority. Hicks said the city is willing to partner with other levels of government.
READ MORE: New Brunswick mother concerned over UNB pool closure
“We’re willing to be a partner, but we can’t be the only piece.”
He said there would need to be regional collaboration and said it would take “significant cooperation from provincial and federal government” and said private donors could also be a good option.
Kelly said the team will keep working to raise awareness in the community and said there is also currently a petition going around with close to 3,000 signatures.
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