More pools saved from drowning

Sandra Oliver couldn’t be happier that AY Jackson and Newtonbrook Secondary School pools are safe.

On June 24, the Toronto District School Board voted to throw a lifeline to seven pools including those at George S Henry, Rosedale Heights SS, North Toronto, Malvern, West Toronto, Forest Hill and Humberside CIs.

Back in April, the board saved 13 other pools including AY Jackson and Newtonbrook as the two pools bring in more permit revenue than any other swim facilities on the list.

That’s something Oliver knows first hand, as president of the North York Masters Swim Club. Her group has rented the AY Jackson’s pool for 25 years. At least two other swim clubs have also been permitting the pool located at Leslie St. and Francine Dr. for about a decade, she said.

“For Newtonbrook and AY Jackson to be so heavily rented (means) it’s important for the community,” said Oliver, a swim advocate who acted as the school pool captain for AY Jackson.

North York resident Livia Hunter also has something to sing about as her high school pool George S Henry near the DVP and 401 is also saved.

“I am supportive and happy the TDSB recognized these are not just great revenue streams but in many ways self-sufficient,” she said the morning after the board’s vote. “It was an obvious decision.”

Hunter is one of dozens of swim activists who worked for months with David Crombie’s Toronto Lands Corporation to secure enough permit revenue to keep the 20 pools afloat.

She is not pleased that other swim sites remain in troubled waters.

“I was focused on saving all the pools,” said Hunter, a former swim coach who began swimming at age three.

In the end the matter came down to a late night vote around 11:20 p.m. at a standing-room-only meeting.

“It was literally an eleventh hour decision,” St. Paul’s school trustee Josh Matlow said.

Toronto Lands Corp has been given until the end of the year to secure sufficient funding for the thirteen “treading water” pools including Winona/McMurrich, Earl Grey and Carleton Village public schools.

Consultant Karen Pitre has been working with Crombie on securing revenue for all the school pools.

“My understanding is essentially those (13) pools will be closed as of the end of August,” said Pitre. “Water will be left in them, but they won’t re-open until there’s sufficient permit revenue.”

Re-opening the 13 pools could happen anytime before Dec. 31.