By Christine Wagg
Lowertown is a mix of turn-of-the-century homes, Ottawa Community Housing apartments and townhouses, high-income condominiums and high-rise residence apartments for University of Ottawa students. It was historically a low-income area where the labourers and loggers lived. Today, Lowertown East has approximately 1400 households, with 49% living below the poverty line. It is unique also in the mix of new Canadians, families who have been in the area for generations, students and professionals.
I am the manager of the two aquatic facilities in Lowertown, The Lowertown Pool and the Champagne Fitness Centre. When I started working in the neighbourhood a few years ago I knew very little about it. A community advocate took me on a walking tour and I instantly fell in love with the area. There is such deep-rooted history in Lowertown, as well as tolerance for cultural differences. What I also discovered was that there was very little activity in the Lowertown Pool, probably for two reasons. First, the building is very large and built in the 1970s, with the pool in the basement, where it has low visibility. Second, the City’s program fees were too high for many of the residents.
Opportunity knocks
I soon met Stephen Pearson, a former teacher who is now a child and youth community developer working at the Lowertown Community Resource Centre (LCRC), located across the hall from the Lowertown Pool. I learned that he supervises an after-school homework club and sport groups, a youth centre, summer camps, all of which are paid for through his tireless fund-raising efforts, so that there is no cost to parents. He approached me with the opportunity of funding for a swimming program. For me this was an interesting proposal because my main focus is to get as many children to learn how to swim as possible, yet I was constrained by having to follow policy and charge user fees for pool admissions and swimming lessons. Stephen and I found a way to make this work!
Swordfish: Junior lifeguards in the making
We started our planning and I engaged a key group of my staff that had a love for lifesaving and community development. We decided to have the group follow the Junior Lifeguard Club, a program offered by The Lifesaving Society. This program instills leadership, fitness, knowledge and skills for self- rescue and rescue of others. It met all the requirements for provincial funding through the LCRC, as it involves learning new skills, physical fitness, community engagement, and would also lead to employment opportunities.
Today we have over 60 swimmers in the Swordfish Club! There are emerging swimmers ages 6 to 11, and Junior Lifeguards ages 12 and up. Some of the juniors are ready to take their initial certification courses to become lifeguards and be able to work at their own neighbourhood pool.
People in Lowertown are a very special group. They care for each other and really have a community spirit like no other I’ve seen. I consider it a pleasure to provide value for the community!