You got the impression Monday that local synchronized swimmers are not so enthralled with the new Battlefords Co-op Aquatic Centre.
Members of the Water Doves Synchronized Swim Club appeared before North Battleford city council Monday, and their representatives gave city councillors an earful about their concerns with their new home base.
Club treasurer Melanie Roberts made the presentation to council. Also attending was secretary Linda Machniak as well as several young synchronized swimmers from the club.
The chief issue the club has continues to be financial, particularly with respect to the new fee structure at the pool.
While it was acknowledged the fees were consistent with communities of similar size, Roberts noted the other synchro swim clubs in Yorkton, Weyburn and Estevan receive significant corporate donations that were not possible in North Battleford.
"Our community just does not have these large corporations at our back door that would sustain our club on an annual basis," said Roberts.
She said her club would need to fundraise $20,000 to meet the fees for 2013-14 and called it a "significant jump." She suggested paying a lower fee of $7,000 rather than the estimated $12,000, which would give the club another year to "recruit new swimmers, seek long term funding opportunities and review further sustainability of our club."
But concerns went far beyond financial ones for the Water Doves as they outlined their experiences at the new facility itself over the past season.
Roberts called the Co-op Aquatic Centre "far from ideal" for synchro swimmers. She pointed to "an extremely noisy environment" where their activities had to compete with the music and noise from other activities running at the same time.
She noted athletes were unable to concentrate on deck and in the water, and pointed out the coach is often forced to yell above the noise, reducing the effectiveness of training.
Roberts also added things were different for the club in the old Kinsmen Aquatic Centre. "We used to have the old facility often to ourselves. Parents would come in and watch their children and families connected and communicated about the sport and the community. This has not happened at the new facility for a variety of reasons."
The club expressed their desire to work with the City to find solutions to the issues the club faces. Among the suggestions the Water Doves put forward to council was for a curtain or buffer be put up between the pools that could cut down on the noise and improve safety.
Council took no action Monday, but Mayor Ian Hamilton did pledge to have future discussions and dialogue with staff on the issues raised.
