Editor:
I find it difficult to write this letter, because we are so fortunate to be able have a new community centre.
A part of me feels uncomfortable raising issues, but as a community, I feel we have failed ourselves in some regards. So I start with what I perceive as a few flaws and end with my thoughts on community.
The first is humorous in a sense – the, “Duress,” button at the pool. The actual meaning of duress refers to coercion or forcible confinement. For example, people may sign a confession under duress.
If I am suffering a heart attack at the pool, it is not under duress. It is an emergency and I fear if I said, “quick, please push the duress button,” that a majority of people would have no idea what I mean. I am a firm believer that we should use proper words to describe a situation. Anyone needing a “duress” button really means, “emergency.”
Please call it what it is and if I am suffering a medical mishap, let me not be under “duress.”
The second issue also seems quite straightforward. How many young people do not enjoy the use of a diving board?
Next, the climbing portion has a lot of windows, but for climbing, more walls would probably help, as well as more spectator space, and finally, I have a feeling that chalk is going to end up everywhere over time as it is not a closed area.
And, I worry about the long walk from the dropoff to the front door with steps and poor lighting. It could be slippery and that is not in the interest of the octogenarians taking advantage of their free membership.
The second last, which can be most easily addressed, is that if you come to climb or work out, you must change in a public bathroom and are not allowed to use the change room or shower. How many users would like to see our children changing in front of people who are going to the toilet, let alone the hygiene issues that it raises, or the fact that if you are on your way to work, that you must go home to shower? These issues I feel come down to some poor planning and town administration not thinking things through.
I close with this thought, and for me it is the most important and I believe makes a statement about all of us.
The town of Canmore with it’s mining heritage believed in community and I like to think that we as Canadians believe in equality and that we are willing to give up some of our share for others. Growing up, I remember community centres, pools and parks as a place for the whole community. They were a gathering place for everybody, regardless of means.
Community-provided services were subsidized and often benefitted those in the community who could not afford summer camps, Disneyland and Hawaiian vacations; in a sense, it levelled the playing field, especially for children.
Now we have introduced what is essentially a two-tiered community as far as accessibility is concerned. To me this is shameful, that now the wealthiest of us get preferential treatment in yet another area.
To slightly misquote George Orwell, this should perhaps be hung above the new Elevation Place doors.
“All community members are created equal, but some are more equal than others.”
Dave Bateman,
Canmore
