Members of Emo council, along with the municipality’s bylaw enforcement officer, discussed revamping the current pool fencing bylaw—and enforcing it—at the regular council meeting held last Tuesday (Aug. 7).
Given the recent affordability of some types of above ground swimming pools, it was noted the safety of residents in the township has become an issue.
Council stressed they do not want to stop people from having fun and keeping cool in the summer months,—they just want to ensure everyone’s safety.
It was expressed that children can drown even in a very shallow amount of water. In fact, the Canadian Red Cross estimates 58 children age 14 and under drown every year in Canada, while another 140 are hospitalized for near-drowning.
The majority of the cases occur in bathtubs and home swimming pools.
In order to prevent anyone drowning in a pool in the township, council is planning to require fencing around the backyard or pool.
Since the municipality’s current bylaw regarding fencing backyard pools is outdated, the bylaw is set to be either amended or rescinded and rewritten at next week’s council meeting.
Should the revised bylaw pass, residents of the Township of Emo will be required to install a fence around all existing and future pools whether they are temporary or permanent.
While the height of the fence and the minimum depth of pools needed to be fenced has not yet been determined, a six-fence for all pools two feet deep or greater was discussed.
The Canadian Red Cross recommends pool fences should:
• be four-sided;
• be a minimum of four feet high;
• completely separate the pool from the house;
• be designed to resist climbing; and
• have gates that are self-latching and self-closing, where the latch is located at the top of the fence.
According to the Red Cross, research has shown that a four foot high (1.2 m), four-sided pool fence significantly reduces the risk of drowning and suggests that fencing could prevent 70 percent of drownings and near-drownings.
Residents of the Township of Emo will also be required to obtain a permit to build the fence, but the fee to purchase the permit will be minimal.
And it was noted all pool owners in the township will receive notification should the bylaw pass. In addition, they will be given time to comply with the bylaw.
However, a penalty clause—although not yet determined—will be included in the bylaw for those who don’t comply.
But council stressed, they would like to see an updated pool fencing bylaw be enforced as soon as possible for safety reasons.
They do not mean to be difficult, but want residents to understand their responsibilities.
It was added many municipalities across the country have strict bylaws on fencing backyard pools.
Sample bylaws from the Towns of Fort Frances and Atikokan will be used to draw up a draft bylaw which will be presented to council at their next meeting on Aug. 21.
In other business during the regular meeting, council, with regret, accepted James O’Sullivan’s resignation as fire chief and appointed Rick Vanderaa to the position on O’Sullivan’s recommendation.
O’Sullivan will stay on as a member of the fire department.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
