I recently moved from the North Park neighbourhood in Victoria to Royal Oak in Saanich.
I swim six mornings per week at Saanich Commonwealth Place. I am disgusted by the number of persons who enter the pools without showering beforehand. These scofflaws ignore the sign which reads, “Please shower before entering pool.” This sign should instead read, “You must shower before entering a pool - No exceptions.”
During the past two weeks I have spoken with lifeguards, including the shift’s lead lifeguard. They seem to be sympathetic to my concern, but they require direction from management. I also made an “official complaint” at the front desk - the staff person said that she would pass on my complaint.
My late father, a retired physician and lawyer, and I tried in vain for many years to have staff at Victoria’s Crystal Pool enforce the showering-beforehand rule. In fact, all rules were absurdly posted after the shower area, by the pool deck.
It has been a few years since I last swam at Oak Bay Recreation Centre, but I recall that a large red stop sign on the shower wall ordered users to progress no further until they had showered first. When I visited North Vancouver’s Wave Pool, I was happy to observe the lifeguards there strictly enforcing the showering rule.
A lead lifeguard at the Crystal Pool told me that the more sweat and dirt that enter the pool, the more chlorine that must be applied. Both urine and sweat contain uric acid.
Offenders are among all user groups - swimmers, water walkers, water fit/aquafit participants (especially), lesson-takers, teams, clubs, leisure-seekers, etc.
I have resorted to saying a few polite words to a few dry offenders. I have been met with silence; a hostile stare; and defiant, rude lip. I am not asking you scofflaws to scrub yourselves for 30 minutes, a quick and thorough rinse will suffice.
Cleanliness is next to godliness in this age of pandemic.
Dawn Goodwin
Saanich
