Groups rally for Jarvis CI aquatics

St. Jamestown agency Community Matters Toronto is hoping to save swimming programs at the Jarvis Collegiate institute from drowning due to the Toronto District School board’s budget crisis.

The group’s Margaret Coshan and Chris Hallett issued an appeal to Dowtown residents and users of the pool to dive in to long term usage commitments to raise enough money to keep the pool open and available for community swimmers.

The Toronto Sports Council’s Aquatics Working Group (AWG) reports that the pool is one of 13 currently slated for closure on August 31, followed by draining on Dec. 31. The pools “will be reopened if they can demonstrate sufficient funding,” the group reports.

Downtown facilities at Bloor CI, Central Commerce CI, Danforth C & TI, and Parkdale CI have been deemed “prohibitive to repair” and are slated for immediate and permanent closure, while the pools at Central Technical School, Earl Grey Sr PS, Fern Avenue Jr & Sr PS, Kensington CS, and Queen Alexandra Sr PS are considered to have “some significant community use” and share the nebulous  fate of the Jarvis CI pool.

A one-time $4 million provincial grant had kept the pools open until now. All of the pools on the closure list are in various states of disrepair, but as school board chair John Campbell has stated, “We’re just not in a position to carry those pools any longer.”  

The AWG hopes to keep the threatened pools open via permit fees, sponsors and donations.

Permit fees are $50 per hour. Donate to the Toronto Swim Fund via the Toronto Community Foundation: $69,000 is required to keep the Jarvis CI pool open past Dec. 31. For more information, visit torontosportscouncil.com or visit communitymatterstoronto.org.