The Canadian Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Program offered at the Bradford Lions Aquatics Centre has been modified to follow COVID-19 precautions and restrictions, including maintaining physical distancing.
Fall 2021 Pool Rules and COVID-19 Safety Protocols
- Do not enter the facility if you are sick, including experiencing a fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath.
- Participants must arrive changed and ready to go before their lesson in order to minimize the number of people in the change rooms.
- As per public health standards, all participants and patrons must wear a mask or face covering while in the building (this includes when on the pool deck, mask may be removed upon entering the pool).
- Patrons and participants must follow directional signage through the facility and pool deck area.
- Limited equipment will be available, and during lessons ONLY. Sanitizing procedures will take place between classes.
- Sharing of water bottles, towels, goggles or other equipment will not be permitted.
- Swimmers must ensure they maintain physical distance (minimum of 6 feet/2 metres) from other swimmers at all times during swimming lessons.
- Change room access will be limited both before and after all programs.
- Instructors will be teaching from the pool deck at all times; in the event they must enter the water for demonstrations, this will be done with the class on the pool deck.
- One parent/guardian must be in the water with their child for all Parented Private lessons for Pre-School classes and Swim Kids 1-4 level programs.
- Only one parent/guardian will be permitted in the facility during lessons. That person must be either in the water or in the pool viewing area (depending on the level requirements of your child).
What is a modified swim lesson?
Current protocols require the Swim Instructor to maintain six feet of physical distance from all participants except in cases of emergency. Therefore, starting in the fall of 2021, caregivers are required to be in the water with each child at all times during the lessons for Preschool (Sea Otter-Whale), and Swim Kids Levels 1 - 4. The caregiver must be comfortable in chest-deep water and able to hold participants as needed as they practice the skills.
For all levels in Red Cross Swim Preschool, up to and including Red Cross Swim Kids 1-4, physical distancing and safety can be maintained for participants by:
- Conducting classes as parented classes to reduce the risk of disease transmission through physical distancing, as the parent/caregiver is now accountable to ensure that the child is safe in the water and reduces the contact with the Instructor.
- Swimmers and parents/caregivers should maintain physical distancing (two metres apart) from other swimmers and parents/caregivers in the class.
- Reductions will be made to class sizes depending on pool space to maintain physical distancing.
