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Centenarian brings birthday party to London, Ont., pool for aquafit class

Barbara Edwards of London, Ont., made a triumphant return to a community pool on Thursday to celebrate her 100th birthday with her aquafit class.

Barbara Edwards returned to the water Thursday after the pandemic kept her away

Rebecca Zandbergen, Travis Dolynny · CBC News ·

Londoner celebrates 100th birthday at the pool

55 years ago
Londoner celebrates 100th birthday at the pool

Barbara Edwards of London, Ont., made a triumphant return to a community pool on Thursday to celebrate her 100th birthday. 

"It's a wonderful place," said Edwards, who this week came ready for a 9:30 am City of London aquafit class, wearing her bathing suit under her clothes. "I've had good times here."

Edwards had been attending classes at the pool three times a week for some 28 years years. She began the water workouts in her 70s, but then the pandemic suddenly halted them and other indoor activities. 

Edwards moved in with her son, out of the home where she lived alone until she was 97, and life changed significantly. Last September, she moved into a long-term care facility.

Barbara Edwards, 100, participates in an aquafit class at a pool in London, Ont.
Barbara Edwards, 100, participates in an aquafit class at the London Community South Pool in southwestern Ontario, her first time in the pool since the pandemic. (City of London)

But on Thursday, Edwards returned to the London Community South Pool, much to the delight of staff and aquafit participants, who burst into a jolly round of Happy Birthday when Edwards walked, with the help of a walker, onto the pool deck.

"Today's the first time she's been here in a long time," said Beth Lapierre, 76. "It's good to see her. She looks the same as she did three years ago."

Lorena Gheller has attended aquafit classes with Barbara Edwards for many years and considers her an inspiration.
Lorena Gheller attended aquafit classes with Edwards for many years and considers her an inspiration. (Rebecca Zandbergen/CBC News)

A beaming Lorena Gheller, 65, added: "She [Edwards] used to come in and float by us and say good morning. That's how I got to know Barb — with her beautiful 'good mornings.'" 

Not surprisingly, Edwards is an inspiration to many of the people gathered at the pool.

"Are you kidding me? Look at her. She's amazing," Gheller said.

Penny Stevens flew in from Calgary to celebrate her mother's birthday. She sat on a bench smiling, watching her centenarian mother in the pool with participants 30 and 40 years her junior. 

Barbara Edwards, 100, poses at the side of the pool at the South London Community Centre.
Barbara Edwards, 100, lived on her own until she was 97, and lived with her son during the pandemic. This past September, she moved into a long-term-care facility. (City of London)

"It makes me remember how much she loved being here all the time," said Stevens. "Unfortunately COVID took that, so it's just nice to see her energy back and really happy."

"I'm not the strongest swimmer but I just enjoy the water," Edwards said, adding that she'd broken her right arm some time ago, and it never quite healed right. "I float, you know. And I paddle a bit, but I'm not a strong swimmer." 

Her son, Andrew Ward, also admires his mom.

"She's always been very active and she's always been very kind, very genuinely interested in other people. Little things excite her."

Cody Besterd is the deck supervisor and aquafit instructor at the South London Community Pool and has taught Barbara Edwards for many years.
Cody Besterd is the deck supervisor and aquafit instructor at the South London Community Pool, and has taught Edwards for many years. (Rebecca Zandbergen/CBC News)

Cody Besterd, deck supervisor and an aquafit instructor who regularly taught Edwards, said he's in awe of her.

"I hope I'm like that in my 90s, able to come three times a week," said Besterd. 

"She was able to keep herself up and go hard even into her 90s," he said.

"The amount of light this woman exudes is infectious, and it's undeniable that she is going to be a positive part of your life and a positive part of your day."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Zandbergen

Host, Reporter

Rebecca Zandbergen is from Ottawa and has worked for CBC Radio across the country for more than 20 years, including stops in Iqaluit, Halifax, Windsor and Kelowna. Most recently she hosted the morning show at CBC London. Contact Rebecca at rebecca.zandbergen@cbc.ca or follow @rebeccazandberg on Twitter.

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