Charlottetown scraps pool fee at Simmons Sports Centre

Charlottetown council decided in its recent annual budget to waive the $2 fee to use the pool at Simmons Sports Centre.

It's something Coun. Mitch Tweel, chair of the parks and recreation committee, said he has been pursuing for years because there are no fees at other public pools.

"If we could have free swims at the pool at Victoria Park why not be consistent and have free swims at Simmons pool."

The Simmons pool is larger and can accommodate more people, Tweel said.

"I think this will go a long way to encourage more younger people, for example, to be involved in sports whether it's passive or recreation."

Some people may not think the $2 fee was a lot of money but it adds up, Tweel said.

"To some families that want to have their kids involved with sports on a daily basis it is a lot of money, and a lot of children, and a lot of young people in our city are not involved in sports in any which way, shape or form because of cost."

The city brought in about $11,000 each year from the swimming fee at the centre, but Tweel said it's not about cost.

"You can't look at what we will lose. It's what this community will gain. More people will become more involved and be able to take a sport like swimming, and be able to participate."

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