More than 100 people have signed a petition launched Oct. 19 demanding the Gibsons and District Aquatic Facility “be reopened and operated following a schedule equivalent to other pools in the region.”
The Gibsons pool is the only one on the Sunshine Coast to remain closed after all recreation facilities operated by the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) were temporarily shuttered due to public health restrictions related to COVID-19. The Sechelt Aquatic Centre and Pender Harbour Aquatic Centre reopened in September.
“Keeping the pool open, it’s an issue of equity,” David Galvez told Coast Reporter. He, along with Gibsons resident Steve Giltrow, is behind the petition, and believesGibsons area residents “have the same right as the children, seniors and citizens of Sechelt.”
About two years ago following an invasive medical procedure, Galvez needed a low impact activity to regain muscle mass. He couldn’t swim, so Giltrow spent two days a week at the Gibsons pool teaching him. Now the 50-year-old carpools with Giltrow to the Sechelt pool, but he says that’s a privilege.
Norman Masson, for example, used to use the Gibsons pool twice a week to maintain his mobility but hasn’t been swimming since March because he’s not comfortable driving. “I just don’t understand why Sechelt’s [pool] would be open and Gibsons’ not,” the 80-year-old told Coast Reporter from his home in Hopkins Landing, adding he supports the petition.
Bev Grisewood, 76, also from Hopkins Landing, told Coast Reporter she swam at the pool almost daily for the past 30 years. “I really, really am missing having it,” she said. “We’re seniors, it keeps us active and healthy. I’ve had a hip replacement and a knee replacement… Being in the pool and exercising is one of the best treatments you can do.”
The retired nurse says she’s formed friendships there, and that the closure has made her “feel like we’re not important. It’s OK for everybody in Sechelt and Pender Harbour, it’s OK for them to have their pool and it’s not OK for us to have ours.”
Because equity is at the heart of the issue, the cost of operating the facility shouldn’t factor into the decision, said Galvez, especially now that the Town of Gibsons has volunteered to contribute $5,000 to ensure the space can be modified with transparent barriers and other equipment to protect people from COVID-19.
As of Sept. 30 the SCRD’s recreation budget, which includes all its rec facilities, is running a surplus of $28,947, up from the approximately $10,000 deficit it faced in June. In an Oct. 22 budget variance report, staff anticipated the budget “will end up in a deficit position at year end due to reduced user fee revenue and increased operating expenses.” However, the regional district does not provide an operating revenue breakdown for each facility, making it harder to explain why cost is a factor for the Gibsons pool, specifically.
In an interview with Coast Reporter, chair Lori Pratt acknowledged the inconsistency. “That’s one of the things we’re grappling with and I can’t give you a clear answer on that,” she said.
Galvez says regardless of cost, the pool should be treated similarly to the Gibsons library and its parks. “You don’t open a pool or a library or create a park to make money,” he said. You do it “to foster stronger communities that are mentally, spiritually and physically healthier.”
Pratt, meanwhile, told Coast Reporter, “Our plan is to reopen but we need to be able to do it safely and in a financially prudent matter.” She said they are still looking at reopening at the beginning of 2021, but it will depend “on what we’re seeing coming through, not just with financial numbers but also with COVID numbers.”
At an Oct. 22 board meeting, Gibsons director David Croal asked whether there was staff capacity to reopen the pool prior to 2021 and the costs of doing so. “We are being barraged by emails from the community,” he said, telling directors about the petition. “Anything that could be done to expedite moving this forward would be appreciated.”
Croal noted that based on the SCRD budget update, “recreation wasn’t quite in the dire straits that had been anticipated.”
Last week the Town voted to provide $5,000 towards the cost of reopening.
SCRD chief administrative officer Dean McKinley said he would be meeting with Gibsons CAO Mani Machado “shortly,” adding the SCRD is also dealing with “staffing challenges.” In a follow-up email to Coast Reporter, McKinley clarified the SCRD “has enough lifeguards to run our facilities, however, we are still slightly under our full lifeguard complement.”
Pratt told Coast Reporter once directors review staffing levels and have a handle on projections for the Gibsons pool, “then we might be able to open earlier [than January 2021], but that’s a conversation the committee and the board need to have first.”
Directors are expected to review options for the pool at a Nov. 12 planning and community development committee.
A link to the petition can be found here: https://savegibsonspool.wixsite.com/savethepool
