One local resident has started a petition in an effort to restore the still-limited hours at South Surrey Indoor Pool.
A longtime issue with many Surrey, South Surrey and White Rock residents, the popular indoor pool closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but was the last of the city’s five indoor and eight outdoor aquatic facilities to reopen post-COVID. The pool reopened with limited hours on Sept. 20, 2022.
Throughout 2023, many of the pool's patrons were still wondering why the facility, located at 14655 17 Ave. in Surrey, was only operating Monday through Thursday (8 a.m. to noon and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and not at all on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays. A letter writer to Peace Arch News in October of 2023 noted that "Previous to COVID, the pool was open seven days a week, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends."
In the past, the city has provided emailed statements that blame the still-limited hours on a lack of swimming instructors and lifeguards.
Currently the pool remains closed Sundays, and operates Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., but that still doesn't suit many of the longtime pool patrons who prefer the early-morning or lunch hours time slots, said area resident Theresa Carbonneau.
Carbonneau has started an online petition that she hopes will grow in popularity as people find out about it, calling for the city to restore the indoor pool to pre-pandemic hours
"I, like many others in my community, depend on our local public swimming pool for health, well-being, and learning. This facility, more than just a pool, serves as a haven for seniors needing essential low-impact exercise and a platform for young people developing their swimming skills. The altered schedule, in place since the reopening after the Covid-19 pandemic closure, has significantly impacted us," the petition page states.
"Before the pandemic, the facility was open from early morning until late evening, accommodating our diverse community's varying schedules. The reduction in operating hours has largely disenfranchised seniors who prefer early morning and lunch time routines and swimming classes for children who usually train after school hours."
Carbonneau, who has lived in the neighbourhood for nearly 40 years, said her kids learned to swim at the pool. She herself has been a longtime patron, but misses the pre-pandemic operating hours.
"It's been (more than) three years since COVID and they still haven't got the scheduled back to normal ... I just got a letter from the aquatic pool manager for Surrey just repeating the same excuses — lack of lifeguards, lack of staff ... you just keep hearing this," she said.
"The reason I did the petition was that every time I go there there's always someone complaining (about the limited hours). I thought, somebody should start a petition, so I did."
She and others have questioned whether the limited hours are simply a cost-cutting measure on the city's part.
"You ask and it's always lack of lifeguards, lack of staff — they never mention money, but I'm sure it's just the budget allocation," Carbonneau said, adding that to her, it seems there are always many lifeguards at the pool.
"There's always a ton of lifeguards. There far too many for our pool ... they all walk around with these huge banana boat things, which are absolutely ridiculous for that size of pool ... if I were a lifeguard, I'd be upset having to carry that around at all times."
Studies show that regular swimming can aid seniors in maintaining good cardiovascular health and joint mobility, and is beneficial to children as well, the petition page notes.
Carbonneau also questioned effectiveness of closing, then reopening the pool most days.
"I just don't know — what is the efficiency of closing it halfway through the day, and then reopening it?"
Carbonneau said the petition is her way of simply "voicing a complaint I've heard many times from fellow swimmers."
"Let's see how many signatures I can get," she said.
In an emailed statement attributed to Surrey's parks, recreation and culture department, the city said it is actively recruiting and training new lifeguards to operate indoor pools at full capacity.
"The goal is to meet community needs, provide quality customer service, and ensure a safe and welcoming environment," the statement said.
"The City of Surrey will continue to review the schedule to add more swim opportunities when feasible. Hours were recently extended on Friday evenings starting Jan. 2, 2025."
The city did not answer whether the still-limited hours is a cost-cutting measure.
Find the petition online at https://chng.it/6Rc4JsmKVK
