Either Or

By JUDY COOKEY
Either—Or. That’s what the undersized swimming pool slated for the Mainland Common Recreation Centre will give the community in the Western HRM Region.

Either use the pool space for instruction or for rehabilitation. For the disabled, requiring more water space, or for aquafit programmes. Either lane swimmers or divers or one of the many other swim programmes. Do we want this?

Currently 2 of every 3 who apply for swim programmes at Northcliffe Centre cannot be served. Only a regulation sized 8-10 lane, 50 metre pool with a sliding bulkhead will accommodate present programming needs. Turning people away is neither healthy nor safe. Providing ‘inclusive’ simultaneous programming that allows swimmers and non-swimmers of all ability levels to interact, learn and play and become ‘water-wise’ together is necessary. To do otherwise is discriminatory.

Canadian standards call for one pool per 60,000 population. Western HRM has well over 180,000 people. While building 2 indoor pools is questionable, one 50 metre pool would be reasonable, more cost effective and meet present as well as future needs.