The ribbon was cut on Friday, October 14 as the brand new accessible bathrooms were officially opened at the Sydenham District Pool in Wallaceburg.
Sarah Jackson, the aquatics coordinator at the Wallaceburg pool, said this project completes the all-around accessibility at the Wallaceburg site.
“It’s a great community benefit,” Jackson said. “I know people have been in and used it and are really liking it. Hopefully we’re moving forward in the right direction and we keep going that way.”
The renovations took place this past summer at the pool, over the course of three months.
The observation rooms were converted to an accessible washroom with a new entrance from the front reception area and new access to the pool deck.
The pool now has an outdoor ramp, chair lift into the facility, chair lift from the pool deck into the water, along with the new washroom.
Bev Shipley, MP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, said this project was the result of great partnerships.
“Not very often will you find that there is an educational component in a school that has partnered with the Municipality, and they have a facility in a school that is shared. That is credit to the town and to the council and the school for having that,” Shipley said.
“It is really about making our communities and the facilities in them available to everyone. This has been a big step in terms of the accessibility. I’m pleased that through the Federal government were were able to make monies available so that it could happen.”
Wallaceburg Coun. Jeff Wesley said he wanted to give credit to Wallaceburg District Secondary School for their on-going support.
“We’ve had a municipal/school board long-term relationship with this pool and it truly has worked for everybody. We wouldn’t be here doing what we’re doing without that relationship and we really do value that,” he said.
“The one group I really want to thank is the pool users group. I know when the pool was threatened somewhat and the pool user group got together. I attended some of those meetings, and there were no shrinking violets in that group. They voiced their opinions, they talked about the issues and they looked for solutions. What we have today is in large part credited to them. They are a great group of volunteers.”
A total of $49,725 of the approximate $130,000 project came from the Employment and Social Development Canada, Enabling Accessibility in Communities grant. The Municipality of Chatham-Kent and the Lambton-Kent District School Board split the remainder of the cost.
– Photo credit: Aaron Hall
