Hi, this is Fred Wallace with ” Off the Wire “.
In tough times, those who adapt best generally survive.
Take the Owen Sound Aquatic Club.
COVID 19 caused the YMCA of Owen Sound Grey-Bruce to shutter their operations in the Spring & Summer which left a beautiful pool facility vacant and the Aquatic Club without a home.
Undaunted, the Aquatic Club looked around at the natural bodies of water in our region and utilized them to continue training and operating their program.
” I’m going in the Bay in May ” was a rally call and sure enough, in they went to Francis Lake and Georgian Bay shore locations at Sarawak & Leith.
Granted it was May 31st when they first went in, but still, that was an ambitious, if not curious, goal.
Still the magic of Georgian Bay was almost a tonic for the Owen Sound Swim Club.
First, not only were they able to continue their training, but the Club membership grew by more than 20. In fact, they have a waiting list at the moment for new members.
Next, and maybe most importantly, the outdoor sessions provided an outlet for the club members to be active and together. There’s no way to accurately estimate the physical and emotional benefits of belonging to a group that continues to operate in spite of a challenge.
And finally, with low COVID numbers in our region and progression through the months in partnership with various levels of government and public health, the YMCA pool is once again open and safety standards are visibly in place, which means the Owen Sound Aquatic Club can return to their normal home.
And truthfully, I’m sure they’re happy to be home because Georgian Bay from now til May 31st next year, likely isn’t that appealing to the Owen Sound Aquatic Club.
I’m Fred Wallace