July 26, 2024: Jasper is burning
Friends, if you do not reside in Alberta, you might not have heard about the wild fires that devastated the Town of Jasper a few nights ago. At least one client, Maligne Lodge, burned to the ground according to unofficial footage that's come out via social media. Parks Canada recently estimated that 30-50% of structures in the town site were lost.
I've been teaching Certified Pool Operator (CPO) classes in Jasper for 6+ years. I shared my thoughts on this mighty town in a recent Instagram post.
The fight to reopen Happyland Pool continues
Earlier this year, I recorded a YouTube video about how the City of Winnipeg would be closing up to four older pools that have reached the end of their lifecycle and replacing them with splash pads. Well, the community is putting up a fight by renting high-profile, digital billboards. This is the first time I've ever seen anything like it. Aging infrastructure at the end of its lifespan is a topic I intend to cover in an upcoming Aquatic Industry Insider.
A few months ago I had a long conversation with Kori DeLaPena of Live Like Cati, a mother who fought to change the legislation in Texas for children participating in swimming at summer camps. I never shared the video (below). Unfortunately I was reminded of this after there was yet another camp fatality last week, just weeks after another child died on the first day of camp in New Jersey.
Swimmer drowns at Bear Creek Camp
Details are sparse so far, but what we do know is that this was at a lake with lifeguards present. This is the very tip of a bigger iceberg.
Quebec's first open-water swimming pool opens in Beloeil
"Swimming pool" is not the terminology I would use: the city used docks to create walls in a portion of the river to make it easier for sheltered swimming. There is no mechanical circulation or chemical feeders; lifeguards manually test the water for E. Coli every two hours.
This is similar to a beautiful swimming area (complete with change rooms, seating areas, ladders & slide) I saw installed on the Limmat River in Zurich while in Switzerland for ISO Meetings on commercial pool drowning technology systems back in April. This is not a bad idea, but not necessarily a swimming pool either.
9-year-old boy found at bottom of apartment swimming pool still on life support
This week is World Drowning Prevention Week here in Canada, including July 25th established as World Drowning Prevention Day by the World Health organization (WHO) when drowning was identified as a public health crisis a few years ago.
I share this particular news story because too many people don't realize how many non-fatal drownings occur where the victims are either taken off life support much later or survive with significant medical complications and morbidity. 'Drowning' is not only incidents that are fatal! We need to be more precise with language.
ICYMI: please do not do this with young children at the pool!
Last but not least, we are still pushing out lots of new content weekly on the YouTube channel. I recently had a conversation with Kate Connell of Equitable Aquatics. Like a podcast, these conversations are great to play in the background of any dry admin work you might be catching up on in the office.
Quick reminder! Registration for the August Certified Pool Operator (CPO) class on Zoom will be closing on Monday. This will be our last Zoom CPO class until mid-September. Please contact me if you'd like to have a member of your team participate in this class, but don't have the financial approval yet.
Stay safe this weekend.
Katie Crysdale
Lakeview Aquatic Consultants Ltd.