Inspections performed by the Société de Sauvetage on a number of community pools in a Montreal suburb have determined the diving boards to be off limits.
According to a report by the Montreal Gazette, when taking today’s pool standards into consideration, all of the public pools in Beaconsfield—some nearing 50 years old—were not deep enough to have 1 m (3.3 ft) or 3 m (9.8 ft) diving boards installed.
When performing a detailed assessment of a public pool, inspectors from the Société de Sauvetage follow the regulations that were updated by the Régie due bâtiment du Québec in 2013.
“If an inspection is done and it is discovered that the pool does not conform to safety codes and then an accident occurs, the municipality is responsible,” Société de Sauvetage spokesperson Olivier Meunier said in the report.
For many of these older community pools, the municipality must decide whether to upgrade one or two facilities or build an aquatic centre. Another option for those communities that use the pools for different aquatic competitions (e.g. diving) is to collaborate with the nearest community pool that is up to code.
“These pools are such a vibrant part of the community,” Heights community pool president Beth Acton said in the report. “But I understand the motivation behind Beaconsfield’s decision to close the (diving) boards. Pools must offer a safe environment.”
