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New manager wants people in the pool
Facility offers extended hours and lessons for community

Samantha Stokell
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, November 3, 2011

INUVIK
The swimming pool in Inuvik has a new pool manager for the first time in more than a year and he wants to get more people in the facility.

NNSL photo/graphic

Blair Smith is the new pool manager at the Inuvik pool. He hopes to increase accessibility to the pool and to encourage more people to use the facility. - Samantha Stokell/NNSL photo

Blair Smith arrived in town one month ago from working as a lifeguard in Saskatchewan, though he originally hails from Ontario. He looked for something "bigger and better," did his research and ended up at the Inuvik pool, which he finds better equipped than some pools in the south.

"It's nice to have a pool like this for a population of 3,500, when other towns that have 5,000 might only have an outdoor, summer pool," Smith said. "It's nice to have, but it's not utilized as much as it could be."

Since the last pool manager, the pool hasn't seen a decrease in users, but a definite lack of programming. Director of community services Tony Devlin, looks forward to the changes that Smith will bring to the pool.

"It means we're going full-steam at the pool and have many different programs planned," Devlin said. "We now have the complete package at the rec centre and Blair has the background and experience to run the pool. We're very excited."

Currently, the pool is open from Wednesday to Sunday and since it reopened after the annual cleaning in October, it's open two hours earlier, now at 9 a.m., to encourage more people to use the pool. Smith wants to have better hours and longer swim times to encourage more people to take a dip.

To increase accessibility to the pool, though, Smith will have to overcome a few challenges, namely staffing and costs of running the pool.

"It's the same as everywhere else, even in Saskatchewan, trying to keep staff," Smith said. "We have a good group of staff right now, but need to keep up with swim programs. It's tough to find staff."

To become a lifeguard, swimmers must complete a Bronze Medallion course, Bronze Cross course, and then National Lifeguard Service course. If someone has completed the Bronze Cross course, then they can work with an NLS trained lifeguard.

"It's tough to find staff, but that's why we have to make sure we have more Bronze Cross-trained staff," Smith said. "We have a Bronze Cross class starting on Nov. 4 and it's open to people, anyone who can do Bronze Medallion can do it."

Bronze Cross and Bronze Medallion courses prepare swimmers to become lifeguards. They teach water first aid skills and tests swimming proficiency.

But Smith wants people to take advantage of the pool even if they're not swimmers. With a slide, lazy river, hot tub, volleyball and basketball nets, a dry sauna and a steam room, there's enough to keep anyone occupied.

The pool also has swimming lessons for children and adults, an occasional aqua-fitness class, parent and tot swims, lane swims and has Sir Alexander Mackenzie School in for afternoon swimming lessons.

"Swimming is the best exercise for you because it works every part of your body," Smith said. "The main goal is to have fun and keep active. It's low impact so elders can do it, too."

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