“Little fish in the water”, young people learn to swim for free in Saguenay

This summer, the City of Saguenay is offering free swimming lessons to 30 young people at the Alcide-Reid outdoor pool, in the Jonquière district. The pilot project is dear to the area’s municipal councilor, Michel Thiffault, because of a well-kept secret.

People think, because I’m the sports guy, because I play several sports, that I know how to swim. But no, I don’t know how to swim. I came close to drowning twicereveals the one who hosts a radio sports show on CKAJ.

Standing in front of the entrance to the new swimming pool inaugurated last year, Michel Thiffault admits to being terrified of water. He considers himself too old to learn how to move there.

But the little ones should be able to manage to avoid tragedies, according to him. They learn quickly, like small fish in the water.

I have a friend, he went into the house to answer the phone, when he came back, five minutes later, his child had drowned, he confides, his voice trembling. It will take a few minutes for the president of the Sports and Outdoors Commission to regain his senses.

The classes, offered twice a week until July 18, began Tuesday evening at the end of a day where the temperature was close to 30°C. Little Jasmine came there with her mom, excited to learn to swim and cool off.

I often see my friends swimming and I’m not capable. So I would like that, to know how to swimshe said, smiling.

With her, around ten children from the Chicoutimi Youth Center, where a swimming pool is installed, also put on their life jackets and their swimming helmets to splash around in the water.

It’s about showing them the right techniques to prevent drowning. I think it’s a great source of pride for them too, when they learn to swim.says Valérie O’Connor, an educator for 25 years in the reception environment.

They are happy to change their fleet, to have their little floats. These are big stepsshe continues.

The City of Saguenay also hired 32 lifeguards this summer to monitor its outdoor swimming pools.

For his part, Michel Thiffault is working to ensure that the course is deployed in all outdoor swimming pools in Saguenay.

Me, if I could, all the young people on Earth, all the young people in Ville Saguenay would know how to swim.

It’s not that expensive. It’s not thousands of dollars. It’s not a question of budgethe adds without specifying a precise amount.

This is about paying the instructors, according to him, while three were recruited for the pilot project.

We need to think about expanding our project next year.