Swimming at the public pool. I haven’t been in more years than I can remember. We are having a sleepover with one of my friend’s kids and we needed a cheap and fun activity. He loves swimming, and it was $10 for all of us, so we went. Yes, Tony Clement spent our Canadian Taxpayer’s Money somewhat frivolously and unfettered, but he did build the town of Huntsville a nice pool and Summit Center. There are two pools, two arenas, a walking/running track, space for events, a coffee shop, a fitness center, space for classes and an active living centre all with beautiful Muskoka architecture. Now did Obama or Sarkozy really care about the pool after spending six hours in our town for the G8? I don’t think it made any difference to the any of them. I’m betting that they spent their time in limos on the highway – did their photo-op on the lawn at Deerhurst Resort, met for an hour for appearances and then headed back to Toronto for the G20. But given I have not yet heard back on my Secret Service application, I cannot be sure. Nonetheless, Huntsville got all of this stuff that really was not warranted for the G8. Is anyone here complaining? Of course not. Why would we?
The pool is a fairly standard; high ceilings, made of cinder blocks with that cavernous feeling. It is amazing how swimming pool technology has not changed – it is the same round lane dividers, the same lap clock with the same coloured arrows that I have yet to understand completely, and the same black t-bar lanes on the bottom. At the end of the large pool there is an expensive large scoreboard – wonder where the CBC’s funding went? – and the little mini swim meet diving boards. The toys for the kids were robust and ample, and three of the four walls have windows for viewing on the high- or low-level. There is even a bleacher balcony inside the area so fans can cheer on the racers. There is a large whirlpool and a smaller pool for the younger kids to learn. All, and all a wonderful facility.
The hot humid air, the echos, and the smell took me back to swimming lessons in the Cranbrook public pool with Mrs. Hayes. Pool swimming has always been so much more comfortable to me. Yes, I live in Muskoka now, and I swim in the lakes here, but I am always slightly paranoid of my wedding rings sliding off to never be found, water spiders attacking me from the dock, touching seaweed (lakeweed?), getting trapped under a dock, or being hit by a boat. No so much that I cannot enjoy a day on the lake, but these are all cares that do not fetter pool swimming All of my neuroses slip away, and I can float, dive, and swim to my heart’s content.
April 14th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary: Safe from imagined dangers – and I am sure germs – at the public swimming pool.
The Daily EO 