Municipal bylaw officers in London, Ont., have started a two-week safety blitz to ensure pool owners are following the city’s swimming pool fencing bylaw.The safety campaign, which was announced on June 19, will not only focus on inground and above-ground swimming pools, but also those of the inflatable variety. Bylaw officers will also be inspecting proper use of temporary fencing, which is required during all phases of new pool construction projects.
“With the school year ending we can expect summer activities to be in full swing and this includes the activities of the backyard swimming pool,” says Orest Katolyk, the city’s licensing and municipal law enforcement services manager. “We want to ensure pool owners are in compliance with the pool fence bylaw to keep children safe around these pools.”
The city’s bylaw requires all swimming pools to be surrounded by a 1.5 m (5 ft) fence; the home can form one of the barriers. Homeowners found to be violating the bylaw may face a $350 fine. In extreme cases, the homeowner may incur additional costs if the city hires a private contractor to install or fix temporary fencing. For more information on the City of London’s pool fence bylaw, visit www.london.ca.
