Several hundred enthusiastic folks came out to the front doors of City Hall at 9:00AM this morning, many donning swim wear and holding signs, to show they want their City Councilors to engage in the solution to help rescue the 39 community pools from closure this June.
Dear Pool supporter,
What an incredible day. Several hundred enthusiastic folks came out to the front doors of City Hall at 9:00AM this morning, many donning swim wear and holding signs, to show they want their City Councilors to engage in the solution to help rescue the 39 community pools from closure this June.
Thank you rally-ers!! Lots of media captured your energy and positive spirit. The crowd was filled with students, and parents with young children, the “raging grannies”, special education groups, Masters swimmers, recreational swimmers, competitive swimmers, and lots of Toronto residents who just plain love splashing around in the water. Amazing effort!
At 9:30AM we went inside to give deputations before the Community and Recreation Committee. Normally a submission of 10 requests for a deputation on a topic is considered strong. We had over 70 people register with the City Administrator, because each of these individuals felt passionate enough to take time out of their work day, their personal schedule, and to make alternative daytime arrangements so that they may address this Committee.
Thank you deputants, both those who read before the Committee, and those who could not attend the full meeting from 10:00AM to 3:00PM and wait for their name to be called. The City residents we heard from had lots of points of view – some were young students, some were retired seniors, some stories made us laugh, some drowning stories caused us to cry, many views were academic, most were inspiring, and all were passionate. You care and you made a point to speak out about something you believe in. Thank you.
Deputants: Whether you were called upon or not, if you haven’t already, email your deputation to the City Administrator at cdavidov@toronto.ca and to each of the Committee members found here: http://www.toronto.ca/committees/community-development-recreation.htm
Did our effort make a difference? We were hoping that this Committee would consider supporting the following motion: Prepare a report on how the City of Toronto and the TDSB can work together to keep our community pools operational. We weren’t asking for capital or operating budget, or any new pools. We were simply asking for them to demonstrate the political will to work collaboratively with the TDSB to find a solution to keep these pools open.
Believe it or not, after 5 hours of passionate community deputations, and a discussion to clarify that the ask was not for budget but for the City to commit to working in partnership with the TDSB to resolve this 10-year old issue, the motion did not carry and was referred to staff.
The City has clearly sent a message that they are not willing to participate in this discussion to help find a solution to sustain the 39 community pools from closing.
What does this mean? It means that in the 10-year old staring contest between the Province, the City, and the TDSB, no one is blinking first. “It’s not my problem, talk to the other guy” is the similar refrain we’ve heard from each of the three parties. And so the 39 pools will close this June.
What can you do? You’ve done a lot to date. This group has presented its case directly to the TDSB, the Province, and now the City. As an advocacy group we have no ability to levy taxes or make decisions; we simply vote for people we believe will make the best decisions on our behalf.
If you are angry by this outcome, astounded by today’s decision that your City Councilors and your School Board Trustees will not meet to work together towards resolve on this issue, then all we have left to do is tell them how we feel. And also let your provincial polititians know how you feel. Remind them that you will remember their (in)action come election time. Pass on the request.
Your City Councillor: http://app.toronto.ca/im/council/councillors.jsp
Mayor’s Office: mayor_miller@toronto.ca
Your TDSB Trustee: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/boardroom/trustees/
Minister of Education: kwynne.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Minister of Infrastructure: gsmitherman.mpp@liberal.ola.org
You could also start writing and calling news media – newspapers, radio, tv, blogs. Write editorials, call in. If not for the sake of aquatics then to express your feedback about our dysfunctional political system at play.
And there is a TDSB meeting the evening of April 22nd and pools are on the agenda, likely for the last time. Information will be posted on their website.
Finally, as you write your emails about the City, consider:
- In these 39 pools, 4,500 elementary students and 13,725 secondary students swim as part of their curriculum school day. If they didn’t swim in school, these youth may would have to sign up for lessons in City Parks and Rec. Except those programs are at over-capacity at they cannot get in.
- In these 39 pools, 11,750 hours of permitted use are scheduled for the 2009-10 year that are outside of the school day. These programs will have no where to go in September 2009, so many will close.
- When these pools close in June, aquatics resources for these 18,225 students, and another 11,750 hours of permitted use (many are for swim clubs, so there are dozens of swimmers for each hour) will have to be placed elsewhere. But the City has no room in its existing programming.
- At the Committee meeting this morning, Councilors talked about how $22 million is needed to bring the City-owned 30 indoor and 60 outdoor pools into a state of good repair. This represents an average of $135K in capital costs per pool. Committee also talked about the cost of $12 million to build a single community pool in Regent Park. Clearly, it is more cost efficient to fix existing pool structures, than to build new ones.
- Currently the City leases 33 TDSB pools to manage 45% of its Parks and Rec programming that cannot be sustained in the 30 indoor pools they own for 2.5 million residents. To meet existing demand levels the City needs more pools of its own, or needs a partner that has pools it can use. Currently the only partner in site is the TDSB, but there is unwillingness for these two parties to talk directly.
- Of the 39 pools slated for closure in two months time, 31 are within old Metro, the City’s core. Closing them would further deplete neighbourhoods of easy access to swimming programs.
- Yet this City Council has agreed to contribute $37.5 million aquatic facility in Scarborough for the 2015 PanAm Games bid. Ironically they will sit idle while the 39 neighbourhood pools close. These, ironically are the feeder pools where the athletes would train, so by not watching them close they are ensuring Toronto’s non-representation at the Games they could host.
Thank you everyone for your ongoing efforts and support. You are an amazing, encouraging, passionate group, and our diversity and humour keep us strong.
Let’s Make Waves