Investment in youth, seniors
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The 'bricks and mortar' portion of a $35,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation grant translates into six new starting blocks and a portable accessibility ramp for the Tillsonburg Kinsmen pool.
But South Western Aquatics (SWA) President Liam McCreery sees the investment first in human, more than structural terms.
"We are taking a group of young kids and giving them an opportunity to see what they can do in the sport," he said Saturday on the pool’s deck. "This is an excellent investment in swimming," he added, "but also our kids."
It was smiles all around for all hands on deck Saturday afternoon, and in the wings as well, where a meet's worth of swimmers 300 strong sat poised to officially christen the new blocks.
"We now have the proper equipment to host them," said McCreery, noting SWA's hosting schedule has gone from one to six meets as a direct result. "This is the best facility in Oxford County, this investment upgrades it so we can have proper training and competitive meets."
The old starting blocks had served the Kinsmen pool well in their day, says McCreery, but the new ones meet Swim Canada standards. "And they are safe, the other ones were worn out and becomming dangerous."
Brian George, a member of the Trillium grant review team, said the number of not only kids, but other ages served by the pool was the first factor in the strength of the application.
"There is a lot of people using the same facility."
The value of the application's second component, a portable accessibility feature for not only physically-challenged but older users as well, was brought home by the fact on the day the review team visited, a group of seniors was in the pool.
"That made perfect sense to them," said George. "It's an upgrade (to the blocks), but also an improvement.
"And it's not just the competitive aspect, it's for everybody."
Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman congratulated those who put the successful application forward as an enhancement for a community facility.
"It shows the support for the young swimmers."
Those swimmers, and other facility users, will now have equipment that meets modern standards, Hardeman continued.
"This is a great facility, it needs to be kept up to date."
Oxford's MPP also noted the positive impact throughout the community of additional swim meets.
"There's nothing nicer than having a facility that not only the community can use, but brings other people here as well."
Deputy Mayor Mark Renaud called the upgrades 'Fantastic,' and appropriate in terms of maintaining a 'provincial if not Canadian class pool' suitable for developing future Olympians.
"It's very important for us to keep up with the times."
The upgraded pool is part of comprehensive recreational facilities in the community for swimmers, hockey players, soccer players and trail users, valuable both for quality of life and as potential economic drivers.
"Having a pool, especially for year-round competition, is very important," Renaud said.
Beyond that, a facility that is more accessible, is also more usable, he concluded.
"This opens up the pool to more users, eliminates some of the remaining barriers."