Local club wins bid to host championships, but not here
Due to no 50-metre pool, four-day meet scheduled for June 13 to 16 at Markham Pan Am Centre
The lack of a 50-metre pool didn’t prevent the Peterborough Swim Club (PSC) from winning a bid to host Swim Ontario’s second-largest event this year.
PSC, formerly the Trent Swim Club, has been selected to host the 2024 Summer Ontario Youth-Junior Championships. The four-day meet is scheduled for June 13 to 16 at the Markham Pan Am Centre.
PSC head coach Dan Stratton said even an eight-lane, 25-metre pool proposed as part of a Phase 2 development of the Morrow Park twinpad arena won’t meet the standards for hosting provincial championships, but the club wanted the opportunity to host one. Only the Ontario Swimming Championships is a higher-calibre event, although the junior youth provincials is similar in scope. The event is expected to draw 600 to 700 or more swimmers aged 13 to 18, representing 65 to 85-plus clubs.
“We are considered a mediumsized club, so for us to pull this off is a big achievement on the part of the club,” Stratton said. “It speaks to our calibre and number of officials and the interest of our club in having meets in general.”
PSC will share in about $20,000 of the proceeds, about four times what they can generate during meets at the Allan Marshall Pool at Trent University.
“It’s a big undertaking,” said Stratton. “Our officials felt we had the appropriate people in the key positions to do it. It’s also a fundraising opportunity for our club. That’s a real shot in the arm for us.”
PSC is the third-oldest swim club in Ontario, having started in 1939. This year marks 85 consecutive years it has been providing competitive and recreational swimming opportunities in Peterborough.
While the meet won’t be in Peterborough, the club sees it as an opportunity to showcase Peterborough and the Kawarthas. They’re seeking local sponsors.
“This is an excellent opportunity for local businesses and organizations to support the event and gain exposure to a wide audience of athletes, families, and spectators,” said a PSC release. “Not only will sponsors have the opportunity to promote their business/organization to the 700-plus swimmers and their families from across Ontario, but all sponsorship dollars directly benefit the Peterborough Swim Club. Sponsorship contributions ensure our swimmers have access to the latest and safest equipment to support swimmer development through training programs and skill development initiatives, and program activities to make competitive swimming accessible to current and future Peterborough swimmers.”
Anyone interested in becoming sponsors or vendors can contact David Jonkers at communications@ptboswimclub.com.