Some downtown Toronto parents say the city has left them high and dry after a new, state-of-the-art pool closed for the second time since mid-October.
The pool, which opened at the One Yonge Street Community Recreation Center in November 2023, seemed to be a big hit with parents until problems emerged two months ago.
“It's awesome,” said Mike Keenan, who has a four-year-old daughter. “They have programs for kids. My daughter is in a lot of them. The staff is great, too.”
But less than a year after it opened, things started to go sideways.
The city closed the pool abruptly in mid-October, in the middle of a children's swim class, “for maintenance,” according to Judy Yarmolinski, a mother of two whose five-year-old is enrolled in Learn-To. Swimming class.
She says her daughter was only in two classes when the city closed the pool, canceling the remaining classes and moving the program from a Yonge near St. Lawrence Market to another community center. According to Yarmolinski, parents who didn't want to switch were offered refunds or credits toward future swim programs.
At that point, she says, she withdrew from the class and the city promised a refund. She says switching from one online registration platform to another has not resulted in her family's registration information being misplaced by the city.
“It's really, really inconvenient; it's hard on the kids,” she said. “I wish it was better communicated.”
City looking to relocate swim classes during renovations
Although the pool reopened in early November, new problems developed by the end of the month. This time, according to emails from city staff seen by CBC Toronto, parents were told the pool would be closed for the rest of the year.
“One Yonge's swimming pool is currently out of service while we work with a contractor to fix the pool jet covers,” city staff told CBC Toronto in an email.
“We hope to reopen the pool as soon as possible, however safety is our highest priority; we will reopen the pool once repairs are complete.”
The email also says staff is looking into moving swim classes to other pools.
“We understand and sympathize with the frustration of pool users,” the email said. “We are working to help customers access programming at nearby facilities; or receive refunds and account credits.”
'Frustrating for children'
Yermolinski said that although city staff expects him to reopen the pool in the new year, he is not excited about enrolling his children in more swim classes there, as the pool's condition appears uncertain.
“I'm looking at private options,” she said. “It's a little more reliable.”
The uncertain opening of the pool aside, Yarmolinski and Keenan both say the facility is great for the community.
“I think it's really cool,” she said.
“It's really sad to go in there and not get a lesson … it's very frustrating for the kids.”
