Swim lessons which previously ran at Beban pool are instead being held at the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre, a result of a shortage of lifeguards. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

SWIM SWITCHES

Nanaimo ‘aggressively recruiting’ lifeguards to restore service levels at area pools

Jan 11, 2023 | 4:09 PM

NANAIMO — A shortage of qualified lifeguards is behind some shuffling of programming at the City’s two indoor pool facilities.

Swim lessons ordinarily run at Beban pool were shifted to the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre (NAC), beginning Sunday, Jan. 8, a move which resulted in a reduction of public swim times on Sundays at the NAC.

City aquatics manager Kathy Gonzales said the current challenges are a byproduct of shutting facilities during the initial days of the pandemic.

“For the two years that we were really immersed in COVID-19, there were a lot of facility closures and due to the public health orders we weren’t able to offer that same level of advanced aquatic certification we would normally run.”

It effectively meant a two-year period where the City couldn’t recruit and train the appropriate number of lifeguards needed to keep the facilities going at their prior levels.

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Many of their existing roster of lifeguards were either laid off or transitioned to other departments.

The goal behind the change was to ensure swimming lessons remained the top priority.

“Some of the adjustments that were looked at were ensuring we have access to swimming as much as possible, meeting the needs of our user groups then continuing to offer as many swimming lessons as we possibly can.”

Gonzales said not having ongoing lessons for kids was a “public safety concern”.

She added the current volume of available swimming lessons is well short of public demand and is something they’re actively looking to rectify.

Extensive wait lists on the City’s online booking system are often reported mere minutes after registration for programs began.

To bolster the number of lessons available, and to restore more public swim time at either Beban or the Aquatic Centre, Gonzales said the City is “aggressively recruiting” people.

A course began in early January for those starting out on their lifeguarding, or advanced swimming, journey.

It’s hoped some of those people will be ready to work in the coming months.

“We run as many advanced aquatics courses as we possibly can in-house, then if we don’t have anybody qualified to teach that specific program or we don’t have a staff person available to teach it, then we’ll look to contract the service out.”

The only requirement to earn a bronze medallion, the first required certification, is to be 13 years of age or older.

To be hired as a lifeguard, two more courses must be completed and the individual must be at least 16 years old.

Those already with the required certifications can apply to the City here. People interested in taking the necessary courses can register online.

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