We understand there is frustration related to the availability of swim lessons. Access to swimming lessons across municipal borders is a regional trend that we closely monitor with our neighbours.Â
While there is a small percentage of people registering for County swim lessons from outside of our community, our research has shown that this is consistent with the amount of our residents signing up for programs in neighbouring municipalities for reasons such as work location, available amenities, and preference.
Instructor and lifeguard shortage
A large challenge currently impacting swim lesson availability is an instructor and lifeguard shortage throughout Alberta and the region. As we emerge from a number of pool closures/restrictions during COVID, many pools in the region were unable to offer training and certification/recertification programs over the past three years.
This leaves us with a supply and demand issue; in a normal swim session, we are able to offer up to 5,000 swim spots. Current instructor availability (as of March 2023) allows for up to 3,700 spots.
Steps we're taking
We have taken many creative steps to minimize the core issue of supply and demand. We are actively recruiting and recertifying instructors, and working with the region to offer a recertification course on behalf of the Lifesaving Society. We continue to maximize teaching spaces and increase the capacity of our current registration system as follows:
- Rebuilding our daytime school programs to alleviate the pressure for higher priority times (serving up to 800 students per session)
- Offering a variety of lesson formats to create more opportunities/flexibility to participate based on the times available at each pool
- Adding classes in direct response to waitlist demand where feasible
- Each level has a designated place in the pool. For safety, and proper skill development we are unable to always add additional Swimmer 1-3 levels, as they require certain spaces to learn their skills to standards set by the Lifesaving Society. Â
- Reduced number of advanced Swim for Life and Patrol levels, freeing up pool space for additional higher demand levels; but lower levels still require warmer, shallow water areas
- Moved private lessons out of primetime slots to allow for more Swim For Life group programs during high demand/desired times
- Carefully monitor online registration traffic and look for ways to enhance system performance. As a result, we have increased the online capacities to access servers from 600 to 1600 simultaneous users.
We continually monitor aquatic registrations including regional access and challenges, supply/demand, community demographics and system performance for each registration cycle and adjust wherever possible.
Questions?
• Emerald Hills Leisure Centre: 780-464-2112
• Kinsmen Leisure Centre: 780-400-3866
swimming@strathcona.ca
