The need to have more space for swimming at Lloydminster’s indoor pool is a challenge facing the local swimming community. President of the Lloydminster Riptides, Nicholas Dobson, is noting the concerns of user groups, with the Riptides having a year-round swimming program.
“Right now, we work well with the pool, but the capacity of lane spaces is a definite challenge for the community,” says Nicholas Dobson. “Between the user groups and the public swimming lessons, (and) any public swim times, the capacity is getting to the extreme at the Bioclean pool.”
Swimming season
The club’s programming runs September to August. Other user groups comprise Border City Stingrays synchronized swimming, Lloydminster Rebels summer competitive swimming, and general public use.
“Our season is just kicking off. This is competitive swimming. Our youngest registered swimmer is seven, and we have got up to 18. We have some university students that will compete with the club when they are back home, and train when they are away at school,” says Dobson, who adds they are exploring ways to start a master’s and adult program.
“We are hoping we can help train some adults in competitive swimming.”
For anyone coming in, they must be able to swim the length of the 25-metre pool.
“They have to be able to swim 25 metres independently. Whatever that looks like. It doesn’t have to look fancy. We can educate them from there,” says Dobson.
The club is also exploring the development of the “I Can Swim” program that works to help youth develop the competitive fundamentals of swimming but removes that endurance training.
Tight turnarounds
To emphasize just how tight the schedule is at the pool, Dobson says there are late nights and early mornings for some swimmers.
“Some of our kids are actually in the pool until 9:00 p.m., and they return at 6:00, the next morning, multiple times of the week,” says Dobson. “They have their program that the coaches are running them through. But we are narrow on what we can get on lane times, and we take what we can get.”
The club has had to innovate to make things work.
“With the additional programing we are having to get creative on our scheduling. The club has had community members asking about adding the programing and we will attempt to do what we can without compromising our current program.”
The program allows for two evenings, one after school and then three morning sessions that the club is at the pool. But this still leaves them behind the competition, notes Dobson.
“We are below the number of hours that other competitive clubs can get in the water.”
Lloydminster has a 25-metre pool with six lanes compared to their competitors with an eight-lane, Olympic-size 50-metre pool.
““When the BioClean Aquatic Centre was opened it was probably meeting the needs of the city at the time. The current facility is nearing 40 years and although the facility has been maintained, capacity is becoming a problem, says Dobson. “The need is becoming apparent the demand is beyond the current capacity of the facility. Also, with demand growing on the facility’s current capacity, a 50-metre pool could provide more space for multiple user groups to train at the same time. Investing in a larger facility could help meet both current and future needs while attracting swimmers and events from across the region.”
A new pool
While a new pool is not on the immediate radar for Lloydminster, the Riptides will remain hopeful and train their efforts even as Dobson notes that clubs from Edmonton to Saskatoon would like to visit Lloydminster.
“We want to make sure the City is aware that these opportunities are there. We have been asked by our (Swim Alberta) provincial body if we would be interested in hosting more meets,” says Dobson. “We could bring in more competitions to Lloydminster and bring those swimmers in for multiple days.”
Swimmers from Bonnyville, Cold Lake, North Battleford and Meadow Lake also travel to Lloydminster for swim meets, notes Dobson.
Achievements
Dobson has seen first hand the opportunities with the sport. His two sons were offered an opportunity to swim in high school in the United States. They are able to benefit from the training and then return to Lloydminster over their summer break and share their knowledge.
“They both wanted to seize the opportunity. They are still a Lloydminster Riptide. They are in grades nine and 10,” says Dobson. “Southern California is a hotbed of swimming in the world. So, they have lots of opportunities there.”
With Canada’s tryouts for the next Olympics being two summers away (2028), every Canadian swimmer would aim to make their mark, including the Dobson boys.
“I know my boys – definitely the oldest one – that’s on his radar,” says Dobson. “He will be 17 when the L.A. Olympic trials are on.”
Forward looking
Given present realities, the concern remains that with the tight turnaround for young swimmers, the club will want to avoid burnout, notes Dobson, as he muses the prospect of future discussions around a larger facility, potentially a 50-metre pool.
“I do think building a 50-metre pool would be a good conversation to have in the City.”
More details on the Lloydminster Riptides are available on the club’s social media.
