CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Charlottetown city council has decided to permanently eliminate the $2 fee to swim at Simmons pool.
It will cost the city $11,000 in annual revenue by waiving the fee.
Coun. Mitchell Tweel, chairman of the parks and recreation committee, has been pushing council to eliminate the fee for the past three years.
“I felt quite strongly because we have free swims at Victoria Park. I can tell you the benefits far, far outweigh the cost (of the lost revenue),’’ Tweel said last week after the news came out of the city’s budget address April 17. “With the tremendous pressure ... the long lineups at Victoria Park had on that pool ... this will take some of the pressure off the pool facility in Victoria Park.’’
He added that it should help alleviate other issues such as a lack of parking around the pool at Victoria Park and create more room on the cycling lanes.
Moreover, Tweel said this speaks to a broader, philosophical issue of the user-pay system that can dissuade young people from engaging in recreational activity.
“And, a lot of them can’t afford hockey equipment, can’t afford to go skiing, can’t afford some of these particular sports and I would like to try and turn that around. I would rather try to work towards moving the pendulum the other way from a user-pay system and get more kids involved in sports and that means we need to come up with a new formula dealing with different organizations.’’
The councillor also noted that the fee seems modest at $2 but it adds up for families with multiple children who might go swimming every day during the summer.
“Some of the parents can’t afford it. A lot of people are living on a fixed income ... and that’s one of the disparities and discrepancies of user pay.’’
Tweel also believes this initiative by council might just help get things moving towards the construction of a new pool. At more than 40 years, the Simmons pool and arena are in desperate need of being replaced.
With a new pool, Tweel believes the city can expand programs offered at the location.
“Hopefully some day with the new pool being constructed at Simmons I’d like to get the (Canadian) Red Cross involved teaching swimming lessons there.’’
