Free swimming lessons will be offered in Baie Verte, N.L., thanks to a five-year, $50,000 commitment to the town’s regional swim program by Anaconda Mining Inc., a Toronto-based gold mining and exploration company.
As part of this pledge, Anaconda is also donating an additional $15,000 to cover the much needed repairs at the aquatic facility.
“Participants in the Baie Verte region are eligible to receive one block of swimming lessons per year at a value of $55,” says Anaconda’s vice-president and general manager, Alan Cramm. “This will provide approximately 180 swimmers to access this opportunity every summer.”
This initiative was prompted by the success of a 2015 program which enabled 150 youth to register and partake in free swimming lessons. Prior to this, the average enrolment at the Baie Verte pool was approximately 40 participants.
“We know swimming skills and knowledge of water safety saves lives,” says the town’s mayor, Clar Brown. “This, along with the recreation enjoyment and physical activity, makes swimming an activity that people can benefit from for a lifetime.”
