Editor: With the replacement of the aging competitive legacy known as the Canada Games Pool comes the debate over lazy rivers as a swimming option. Warm water pools for playing and learning are most definitely needed. The lazy river only accomplishes one thing – warm water. It cannot be used to teach swimming, it does not encourage true free play and has no flexibility in programming. You just sit in the flowing water and it does all the work for you – the Wally World of aquatics.
A warm water pool allows CGP staff to provide an array of lessons and programming in a comfortable learning environment where kids like what they see and feel with the possibility they may chose a water sport (competitive swimming, synchronized swimming or water polo) over a ground-based sport. Not all kids want to play soccer, hockey, skating, etc., and need a choice.
Just look to Moody Park swimming pool in the summer. No lazy river there. It is packed on sunny days (and good thing as the water is cold) with kids playing for hours – entertained by water, a few toys and huge imaginations (which are free, by the way). Let’s keep the competitive spirit alive in New Westminster and foster warm water learning and playing environments to give all youth an opportunity to enjoy water activities.
Paul McNamara, New Westminster
