Cathie Sinninghe
Dear editor:
I am asking for people to let their voices be heard regarding the important issue at our Memorial Sports Centre.
This is regarding an accessible change room for families of special needs or handicapped children, as well as those with young children.
As was so eloquently stated by Dave Erwin last week, this has been a problem there for at least 20 years.
I’ve been privileged to work with special needs children for more than 23 years and it breaks my heart to think of how many have not had access to the pool because of these issues.
I personally know many families with small children that do not go to the pool because they can’t let their five-year-olds go into a separate area to dry off and change alone.
I am thankful the issue of helping these families to get fair and equal access they deserve is being looked at.
I would like to suggest a warm, accessible change room be found quickly, and then take on the task of a room with showers be provided in the not-too-distant future.
We all can shower at our homes if we just can get the basic need of a warm change room area provided.
What about the needs of single-parent families with children five years old of the opposite gender? How can we possibly accept letting our vulnerable children go into separate rooms to dry off and change alone?
Many five-year-old kids still need assistance drying off.
And what about our community members in wheelchairs—don’t they deserve the respect and dignity of using our facilities?
We do have a large percentage of seniors in our area who have increasing needs for handicap access.
I personally have had to take children down the cold hockey hallways into very cold hockey change rooms that cause us to shiver, especially after swimming when we are wet and cold.
We must keep this issue in the forefront of our town councillors’ minds, especially those on the Community Service executive committee who are very involved in the process.
As I stated at the recent council meeting, my heart breaks regarding the unacceptable issue of our longtime, ongoing problems with the basic rights and needs of our community members not being met.
On another note, the staffing at our wonderful library is another important issue. I have been told they already have lost one full-time and one part-time employee—and more cuts are being made.
We have a fabulous, multi-million-dollar facility but without employees to run it, we won’t have the help we need to use it properly.
This will affect much-needed, well-used computer area, as well as the programs that serve our area’s “shut-ins”—people who can’t get to the library due to various issues.
We also lost a fabulous, knowledgeable young man, Marcus, who was there on a short-term grant—and we may lose the important IT young man (our technical guy), who is very busy and helpful.
Again, with more possible cuts being made.
Thank you, Mr. Editor, for giving me space here to let my voice be heard.
Sincerely,
Cathie Sinninghe
Fort Frances, Ont.
