Drownings off Verdun: borough can’t stop people
People have been drowning off the shores of Verdun outside the official beaches, and the borough mayor says there’s nothing the borough can do if people decide to take a risk in the river.
La Presse studied dozens of coroners’ reports and concludes that newcomers to Quebec are at higher risk of drowning because they’re not familiar with the risks of our waterways, and many arrive here not knowing how to swim.
Ariane Krol points out that Ontario has produced material in several languages for newcomers about the risks of messing around in its lakes and rivers. Unfortunately, that isn’t likely to be possible here.
MarcG 10:14 on 2023-07-21 Permalink
Putting up a few signs (perhaps with a running body count) and/or having a small team patrolling the riverside on busy days and informing people of the risks are two simple and cheap ideas that come to mind.
John B 11:08 on 2023-07-21 Permalink
IMO swimming in lakes/rivers/streams is a summer tradition and the city shouldn’t be considering trying to ban it. As Mme. Mauger says in the article, it’s obvious looking at the river that there’s a strong current, the risks are clear. If they did shut down swimming outside of the beach they would be shutting down places where people have been swimming for generations. Also, the beach is crowded, and the rules are extremely strict compared to every other beach I’ve been to.
That said, if the borough wants to do something, they can offer more & better swimming lessons. There are 3 outdoor pools in Verdun. Currently, 2 have swimming lessons for kids, (despite what the article says), but some levels are only offered at some pools – for example, I have a kid in Nageur 2, and despite living 300m from the Natatorium, he has to go to Ile-des-Soeurs for lessons because that’s the only place it’s offered. The lessons only start at 11 AM, and are only weekly. If Verdun was serious about having a population that knows how to swim they would use the time from 8 – 11 AM, (when pools are currently closed), to offer more spaces for swimming lessons, 2 classes of 6-8 kids per level is not enough for a population of nearly 80,000 to learn to swim. They should also offer daily lessons in 2-week blocks to let people make lots of progress in a summer, otherwise you’re stuck one level per year – if you pass – or fighting for the even more limited spaces available at the Beurling pool during the winter. Swimming lessons tend to be something done by kids, but more lessons for adults could also improve the situation.
We don’t have to look far for a much better example teaching swimming to youth. Westmount, with 1/4 of the population of Verdun and 1 outdoor pool, has a full programme with weekly and daily lessons, and a competitive swim club. Yes, it’s Westmount, so there’s traditionally more money, but that doesn’t mean Verdun can’t do anything.
MarcG 11:19 on 2023-07-21 Permalink
Another free idea: When the water quality is bad enough to close the supervised swimming area, put up a big sign that says “WATER FULL OF CACA TODAY” and see how many people still want to swim next to it.
Kate 12:53 on 2023-07-21 Permalink
They could even make a sign using the poo emoji and no words.
I’ve never learned to swim. It was never offered to me in any form at any point.
EmilyG 14:05 on 2023-07-21 Permalink
I had swimming lessons when I was younger, but I never really progressed beyond the doggie paddle. Though I like going in the water at beaches and pools.
walkerp 19:52 on 2023-07-23 Permalink
Never too late to learn to swim. A few years ago I couldn’t do a proper crawl with breathing and now after a couple years of lessons and practice, I can do many laps with decent form and stamina and feel way more confident in water.