Letter to the Editor:
Tuesday February 11 was a very heart breaking day for Barrhead Swim Club. As the Non-Competitive kids were in the pool for practice and the Competitive kids were getting ready to practice for their upcoming meet, we the executive had to make the difficult decision to not hold our 7th Annual Nordic Chill meet in Barrhead on the weekend. Brave faces jumped into the pool for their last practice there ever and tears were shed as they said goodbye to their second home. It’s a place they grew up in, some spending four nights a week practicing starts and turns for their meets, hoping for ribbons, medals and a chance to go on to Provincials. Many of the lifeguards are past Swim Club members and some of our current kids hoped to become lifeguards. The kids and parents all became friends and family where most were likely to never meet. It was a place for friends to meet and catch up and kids to wash away the stresses of exams and deadlines.
We are a small volunteer run club with big heart and we plan to move forward and keep this club alive and running. Currently we are trying to find a pool location nearby to possibly hold a meet, our Swim-a-thon and practices for the rest of the year and the years to come until Barrhead once again has a “Home Pool” for us. Thank you to all of the Coaches, Parents, Volunteers and Lifeguards of past and present for your years of dedication and hard work. We hope to see you all in our temporary location wherever that may be.
As a community we hope you can all realize the importance of an Aquatic Center in Barrhead. We all want our children and grandchildren to be healthy and active and not be couch potatoes, but we need indoor activity for them to achieve this. The schools use the pool on a regular basis for physical activity as part of their curriculum. Where are our children going to take lessons? What will happen to the Queen of Hearts Triathlon and the seniors who take Aqua fit and use lane swimming to keep agile and mobile. What about the lifeguards working to save money to go to University? We all choose to live here because of the things Barrhead has to offer. Everyone has an option to move if this community no longer meets their needs. You may not use those facilities ever and think it doesn’t affect you, but your Doctor, Nurse, Mechanic, Shop owner, Grocery clerk, Pharmacist, Hair Stylist, Bank Teller, Accountant, Waitress, Etc. and families all use them. If they don’t have somewhere for their kids to be active why will they stay? Please speak to your council members, ask the County Council where they are spending the $11 million they have in reserve, and go to the County’s open houses and vote at the Plebiscite. Make our children matter.
Thank You
Barrhead Swim Club Executive
