Battlefords Co-op Aquatic Centre offers swim lessons, lots of swim lessons - and there should be something for everyone.
For years, the Kinsmen Aquatic Centre and now the Co-op Aquatic Centre has been the home for Red Cross swim lessons and many, many young people got their introduction to the water in those facilities and a many have gone on to become accomplished swimmers and instructors. The program of swim instruction continues to grow in numbers and in types of programs offered.
This fall the Aquatic Centre will have classes for the person who says, "I'm afraid to put my face in the water" to the accomplished swimmer who is as much at home in the water as on the land. There are classes for the little folk who are getting wet in the pool for the first time through to the grandparents who want to be able to play with the grandkids at the lake. There will be classes for those who want to tweak their technique a little through the person who wants to get ready for their first triathlon. And the pool's schedule is flexible enough to fit pretty much anyone's life style.
The Battlefords sit at the south east corner of Saskatchewan's lake country where beaches abound and cabins dot the landscape. Many families have a boat whether it's to ski or tube or to fish quietly. Water plays an important role in recreation for many of the residents, and draws many from far to use the water in the area. And where people are in, on, around or under water there is danger for those who do not know how to swim or who are uncomfortable in the water.
One of the unfortunate statistics related to drowning in Canada is that a disproportionate number of those incidents occur amongst immigrants from regions of the world where swimming is not a common recreational pursuit - arid, cold, low income and highly populated. There is a concern for the large immigrant population in the Battlefords and our swim lesson program reaches out to help reverse this trend. The aquatic centre aims part of its programming at trying to reduce the danger factor for everyone, emphasizing water safety in all aspects of the swim program.
The backbone of the swim program is the Red Cross Learn to Swim with its two components - the Pre-School Kids with six levels, and the Kids Swim program with 10 levels.
The pre-school program reaches out to age six months (in the water with their parents) through five years (in the water in small groups with each instructor). Three levels offer the opportunity for parents to be in the water with the children if they so desire.
The Kids Swim program targets children from six years and up and can include adults and seniors who wish to have their accomplishments recognized and recorded. Students are continuously evaluated as the lessons progress and moved to the next level as they complete the current one. These programs have grown from approximately 1,200 students a year at the Kinsmen Pool to 1,500 students a year in the new facility and there is room for these numbers to grow.
The fall set of swimming lessons will operate Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday and started the week of Oct. 7. Monday and Thursday are reserved for pre-school lessons. Registration for these lessons is now open.
Registration can be done in person Monday to Friday at the aquatic centre or via telephone (306-445-1745) those days between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. The next set of lessons will run starting in January with another following in April.
Summer lessons operate a little differently - five mornings a week for two weeks. Depending upon the level, the lessons vary in length from one-half hour through 40 minutes and to one hour for the higher levels.
