City of Moose Jaw Investigates Citizen Concern Re: Kinsmen Sportsplex

Recently, a Moose Jaw citizen raised concerns about procedures at the Kinsmen Sportsplex Swimming Pool, related to swimmer safety on February 17, 2018.

The City’s Parks & Recreation Department takes all citizen concerns seriously and has conducted a thorough investigation regarding the alleged incident.

Among the findings:

- The City does not dispute there may have been a concerning incident, but there is no conclusive evidence to support the claim that a child was in danger of drowning

- No medical assistance was required, nor requested, for the child in question

- Sportsplex swimming pool equipment (including waterslide platform railings) was inspected and found to be in compliance with government safety standards

“Swimmer safety is our number one priority at the Kinsmen Sportsplex pool, which is licensed by the Province of Saskatchewan and operates according to the guidelines of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health Swimming Pool Design and Operational Standards,” explained Parks & Recreation Director Ted Schaeffer. “This includes having the required number of lifeguards supervising the pool based on bather load as outlined in the guidelines.”

Additionally, all lifeguards are certified at the National Lifeguard level through the Lifesaving Society and hold a current Standard First Aid and CPR-C Certification. All lifeguards also attend regular in-service training sessions to ensure they continue to meet the requirements of the position.

The City of Moose Jaw has policies and procedures in place to ensure swimmers are using the appropriate areas of the pool based on their skill level, and additional signage has been placed at the Sportsplex to help make those policies and procedures clear.

For more information, please contact: Craig Hemingway Communications Manager City of Moose Jaw PH: (306) 694-4406 C: (306) 513-8980 Email: chemingway@moosejaw.ca .