HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-18-04
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REPORT
COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Meeting:
General Purpose and Administration Committee
Date:
December 06, 2004
Report #: cSD-18-04
File#:
Resolution #: ~P4, tf17/0t(
By-law #:
Subject:
Aquatics Program Update
Recommendations:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee
recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report CSD-18-04 be received for information.
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Submitted by:'./ I ~A..of..L"
Josef>h P. Caruana
jector of Community Services
JPC/BT/PB/jm
Re"ewed bY.~~
1,/ anklin Wu
.{Iv Chief Administrative Officer.
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L 1C 3A6 T (905)623-3379 F (905)623-5506
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REPORT NO.: cSD-18-04
PAGE 2
1.0 BACKGROUND
1.1 Report CSD-18-04 has been prepared for Council's information to provide a
status report regarding aquatic instructional programs.
1.2 The Community Services Department operates a number of instructional swim
programs throughout the year. Sessions are divided by the season namely,
winter, spring, summer and fall.
1.3 During the various sessions, programs are offered at the Clarington Fitness
Centre and Courtice Community Complex. In the summer, instructional
programs are also offered at the Newcastle Lions Pool and the Orono Park Pool.
1.4 Throughout the year, the Community Services Department hires approximately
eighty (80) part-time aquatics employees to provide qualified instruction and
supervision of the instructional and recreational programs. Each instructor must
be certified by the Lifesaving Society and Canadian Red Cross, and must re-
certify every two years to maintain their position. This re-certification includes
both theoretical and practical in-water sessions. Additionally, each staff member
participates in regular in-service training, which takes place before the start of
each session.
2.0 STAFF TRAINING
2.1 During the summer alone, with the operation of four (4) aquatics facilities, a total
of 49 staff were employed as Head Instructors/Head Lifeguards, lnstructors-
Lifeguards, Assistant Instructors-Lifeguards, and Cashiers. Staff received Health
and Safety Training, orientation, and 14 hours of in-service training prior to the
start of the summer. New staff members received an additional 4 hours of
orientation and training.
2.2 The following topics are covered in the training sessions: team building
exercises, facility-specific orientations, staff roles and responsibilities,
instructional standards and emergencies, Lifeguarding skills, Lifeguarding
emergencies, workplace health and safety, fitness activities, customer service,
and administrative responsibilities. Head Instructor/Head Lifeguard meetings
were also held throughout the summer to review any problems, customer service
issues, provide staff with updates, and to help develop a strong team moral.
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REPORT NO.: cSD-18-04
PAGE 3
3.0 SUMMER INSTRUCTIONAL SWIM PROGRAMS
3.1 Six one week sessions were run out of all 4 swimming pools in the Municipality.
Each session ran from Monday to Friday. Registration for summer swim lessons
commenced on Saturday, June 19 for residents and on Saturday, June 26 for
non-residents.
3.2 Registration for the Courtice Community Complex swimming lessons increased
from the previous summer. Clarington Fitness Centre had a slight drop in
registration from previous summer while Newcastle Lions Pool and Orono Park
Pool experienced decreases compared to the last summer. The decline in
registration at outdoor pools can be attributed to the poor weather we experienced
this summer.
ReQistration FiQures
2003 2004
Clarington Fitness Centre 298 277
Courtice Community Complex 663 670
Newcastle Lions Pool 246 185
Orono Park Pool 130 109
TOTAL 1337 1241
3.3 Classes are scheduled to maximize the available pool time in order to offer
flexibility for registration and variable class times. When classes are cancelled
due to low registration, staff makes every effort to accommodate participants in
alternate classes or transfer them to other aquatics facilities. While most
participants are placed in a class or in a multilevel instructional class, some
simply cannot be accommodated. In most cases, the cancelled classes are
replaced with more popular classes where a high demand is experienced.
3A Private and Semi-Private lesson registration was at capacity at Courtice
Community Complex, Clarington Fitness Centre, and Orono Park Pool.
Subsequently additional Private and Semi-Private lessons were added at the
Courtice Community Complex and Clarington Fitness Centre, and were all filled.
3.5 Leadership courses, specifically Bronze Medallion, Emergency First Aid, and
Bronze Cross which ran out of Clarington Fitness Centre were well attended. All
of these classes were at maximum capacity.
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REPORT NO.: cSD-18-04
PAGE 4
4.0 RECREATIONAL SWIMS
4.1 All swims were well attended throughout the summer at the Courtice Community
Complex. Attendance at the Clarington Fitness Centre declined slightly.
Recreational swimming at the outdoor pools was not well attended due to cold
weather and rain.
4.2 For the second consecutive year, there were no heat-wave swims as the
temperature and humidity did not reach the minimum requirements to warrant
this community program.
4.3 Aquafit was offered at the Courtice Community Complex and Clarington Fitness
Centre and participation was consistently high at both facilities with classes
averaging between 15 and 20 participants.
5.0 SPECIAL EVENTS
5.1 Drowning Prevention Day took place on Saturday, July 24 in conjunction with
Family Fun Day. Free Swims were offered at all pools with a donation to the
Clarington Food Bank. Several boxes of food were collected. This event is
designed to educate the public. Interactive demonstrations on boating safety, ice
safety, lifeguard emergency response demonstrations, and the importance of
using lifejackets were offered to increase awareness of water safety. Each
facility offered games, face painting, colouring contests, and prizes for children.
This event was well attended at all four pools.
6.0 CONCLUSION
6.1 The CLASS Recreation Software (IVR and On-Line Registrations) continues to
perform as expected. An average of 76% of eligible registrations is completed
electronically.
6.2 The Community Services Department is committed to providing quality programs
and services to the community. Staff will continue to monitor and evaluate
existing programs and services, as well as researching and updating aquatic
programs.
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