It’s unclear if reduced rates for families helped, but the pool was 23 per cent busier at Tecumseh Park’s Cox Youth Center this summer, Sarnia city staff say.
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That also means Tecumseh Pool was cheaper to run, staff reported to council recently.
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“We’re happy to see the increased use so far and looking forward hopefully to that continuing,” said Krissy Glavin, the city’s parks and recreation manager.
Sarnia spent about $110,000 to operate the pool in July and August, down from $127,000 in 2022, she reported.
Nearly 2,200 took part in recreational swims, 124 in aquafit classes, and 550 in swimming lessons, generating $36,000 in revenue.
That amount is basically offset by a city subsidy, introduced after a backlash in 2022 over rising rateskeeping lessons at $45 and admission at $2 a person,
The subsidy covers about 60 per cent of costs.
Sarnia also set a $6 rate for families in June.
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It’s unclear how that helped attendance, said Paul Skuza, general manager of the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario’s Jerry McCaw Family Center in Sarnia.
But we “do know that people appreciated that,” he said by email.
“They were ready to pay $2 per person,” he said, noting families of four or more saved money.
The YMCA entered into a five-year deal with the city this year to provide lifeguards at the pool, after providing a one-off year of lifeguarding in 2022, after the Red Cross discontinued lifeguard training.
Usership in 2022 was about half capacity, the Y’s Joe Cebulski has said, noting there were some shutdown days in 2022 due to lack of lifeguards.
There were no shutdowns in 2023, Y officials said Friday, after more lifeguards were recruited in the off season.
Hopes are to advertise and promote the pool earlier next year “about this being something folks can look forward to every summer. . . in Sarnia,” Skuza said.
“Making sure the community knows what’s going to be offered while people are planning out their summer,” Glavin said.
The pool cost Sarnia $180,000 a year to operate between 2015 and 2019, city officials have said, noting savings under the new agreement include not having to directly hire lifeguards.
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