City of Iqaluit waives pool fees for kids
No timeline yet for when youths under 18 can access facility for free; pool still closed until Aug. 13
Access to Iqaluit’s Aquatic Centre pool will be free for kids after councillors voted to waive fees for youths under 18. (File photo by Steve Ducharme)
Kids in Iqaluit will soon be able to swim for free.
City councillors voted unanimously Tuesday to eliminate fees to access the Aquatic Centre pool for swimmers under the age of 18.
“Access to recreational facilities is a key factor in promoting physical and mental health among youth, and removing financial barriers encourages active lifestyles, community engagement, and overall well-being,” said Bill Williams, the city’s director of municipal infrastructure, speaking to council.
The Aquatic Centre currently charges various rates for kids to access the pool. For example, a drop-in pass is $4 for children ages two to 12, and $6 for those aged 13 to 18. Children under two years old already swim for free.
Revenue from those rates, as well as monthly and annual passes, totalled $29,266 in 2024, according to a report to councillors.
“While this is a meaningful amount, the potential long-term benefits of access outweigh this particular revenue for the city,” Williams said.
Councillors were on board.
“I’m very, very happy to see this,” said Coun. Kyle Sheppard.
He urged the city’s recreation department to “find more” ways to improve youths’ access to programming, including lifesaving training.
Deputy Mayor Kim Smith said it was good to see something that was proposed in the recreation committee a while back get approved.
“It’s going to make a huge difference in our community,” she said.
It’s not clear when the free access will begin. The Aquatic Centre pool is closed for its annual maintenance until Aug. 13.
“We’re currently co-ordinating internally and expect to have more information within the next week,” said Geoff Byrne, the city’s spokesperson, in an email.
Except it is never truly “free”. While this is great for youth, the city almost always decide stuff with their heart and not their heads. I guess property tax or some other dumb tax will be introduced to cover this as the pool does not operate on empathy but actual dollars.
you must not understand that most of the kids that hang out at the pool, wishing someone could pay the fee so they can swim. I helped kids, they would come in with ever coin they have and the staff would say you don’t have enough and the disappointed look on their face is hard breaking. So I would pay the fee just so they kids can go swimming. Have some compassion and understanding. I hope you never lived in poverty because it’s an ugly situation.
I am not saying the kids do not deserve to swim. This is a great initiative from the city. However, the city has a tendency to put the cart before the horse.
Explain your solution and bring it to council and maybe city staff take it to consideration.
Great news! Happy we are following in Greenland’s footsteps regarding this. Hope we can follow and implement more ideas from them in the future!
Good move! There are few things more important than the physical and mental health of young people—and city taxes is not one of them. Next step: Outreach to the children who won’t otherwise get there even if it’s free.
This sounds great and all and the majority of kids will love this, what about the bad seeds around town?
We cant pretend that we don’t see posts almost daily about teens stealing this or that, or damaging property or getting up to no good. With no stipulation of this being free with an adult, this means there is going to be damage incurred by the minority of bad seeds that are doing the damage around town and up to no good.
I am not sure I want to send my young child into this situation without the mandate of parental accompaniment.
Go with your kid then. Also there are life guards and pool staff. It is not just an unlocked swimming pool and no rules.