February 14, 2025: Acadia University to close pool
Good Morning,
Some weeks I have no idea what I'm going to talk about in the newsletter, and other weeks it's set very early on. On Monday, February 10, 2025 - while most of us were barely through our first cup of coffee - Acadia University (Wolfville, Nova Scotia) put out a tiny press release with a big announcement: the aquatic facility will close permanently at the end of this academic year on June 15, 2025. This includes the end of the varsity swim program and cuts to all aquatic staff positions.
This took the swimming community by surprise. I contacted my friend Coach Dave Link from the Brock University (St. Catherine's, ON) Badgers, someone who is very well connected in the Maritimes after coaching in St. John's, NL, and he hadn't even heard the news yet.
On the heels of the University of Alberta announcement in October 2024 and ongoing efforts to save the now-closed facility and program at Laurentian University (Sudbury, ON) the deadbeat infrastructure drumbeat continues.
The only question I have is the $400,000 deficit. Most municipal/non-profit commercial pools I've worked with in Canada do not fully cost recover; they operate annually in a deficit to their specific cost center, but supplemental funding is provided by other arms of the organization (e.g. ice rentals, drop-in programs, concession sales, etc.) because there's a commitment to offer aquatic facilities.
As Dave commented in our last Aquatic Industry Insider chat on YouTube, these types of decisions may simply be looking for overarching savings in an economy where everyone is trying to offer the same services, but with fewer financial resources as costs, interest rates, inflation, and the USD exchange rate have risen dramatically over the last few years.
A quick Certified Pool Operator (CPO) update as 2025 has gotten off to a very busy start. Our February 24-27 Zoom CPO class is completely full with people on the waitlist. Our March 24-27 Zoom CPO class is selling briskly. Please note: you can always see live inventory on our website after availability drops to 10 spots or less.
To accommodate demand, I've added a CPO Fusion class on Monday, March 17. This type of hybrid class is suitable for someone who is comfortable with computers and can manage their workload to complete all 8 hours of self-paced modules prior to the one-day class on March 17. The end result is the same Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) Certified Pool Operator (CPO) certificate. Depending on the success of this CPO Fusion class, we may do a couple per year.
Registration for the April 21-24 Zoom CPO class is normal so far.
If you are thinking of hosting a private CPO class, or you don't think you have quite enough people for our 10-person minimum, please reach out to me. We work with organizations across Canada, and it's often possible to combine several clients regionally with similar interests if you are not in a rush to get it on the schedule in the next eight weeks. For example, we are doing private classes for hospitality staff in Banff in a few weeks and have something else potentially pending on Zoom for Saskatchewan.
I had conversations with several people recently who were unaware of drowning with morbidity. This is part of a bigger conversation that needs to happen in water safety that drowning doesn't always lead to death. Estimates suggest that for every person who dies from drowning, 4-5x that number survive, and some have significant life-long brain injuries that make them incapable of independent activities of daily living.
Here are a few families sharing their experiences, including technology such as Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT).
Light for Levi & Lainey
Penny's Crazy Train
Help Little Arthur Walk and Talk again (Canadian family)
Maria Ximena's Recovery From Near Drowning
‘Disgusting’: Man washes his bum in kids’ pool
Who remembers the video of the lady shaving in the pool? Before we laugh and point fingers, ask yourself if the signage in your aquatic facility clearly specifies what types of behaviors and activities are not allowed? Frequently working with non-English speakers, the use of an antiquated term such as 'bathing' in modern environments is extremely confusing and contributes to the problem, in my opinion.
Victoria residents vote in favour of $168.9M plan to replace city's only public pool
Now the hard work begins of actually getting this project shovel-ready before costs rise substantially.
Referendum on expanding Qualicum aquatic centre set for April
When I lived in Lac La Biche, AB the conversation about replacing Portage Pool only reached a fever pitch at Council when Athabasca, AB (a community of comparable size 45 minutes to the West) started construction on their gorgeous new aquatic facility.
Unsurprisingly, your neighbors want what you have. Nanaimo & Victoria, British Columbia are essentially neighbors, so each is watching what the other is doing.
The Dry Generation: Gen Z Is Rewriting The Rules Of After-Work Culture
I'm grateful that aquatics has always been about boardgames & potlucks.
Swimming safety bill filed to help prevent child drownings
If passed, this law would be similar to Cati's Bill in Texas. Click here to see an interview I did with Cati's mother last year about the long journey to get the law passed.
Hawaii’s first Water Safety Plan addresses keiki [children] drowning prevention
Enjoy the long weekend if you are off, and THANK YOU to those who have to work. The dichotomy of making most recreation & aquatic staff work on Family Day (away from their families) so other families can enjoy the day (as a family) has never been lost on me.
Katie Crysdale
Lakeview Aquatic Consultants Ltd.
PS. I spent a lot of this week reading about and drafting policies for a new cold plunge facility here in Alberta. Stay tuned, I will share my thoughts and findings next week (February 21, 2025).
