اخبار العرب-كندا 24: الثلاثاء 25 يونيو 2024 05:31 مساءً
It's been almost six years since the indoor swimming pool in Ross River, Yukon was used by the town's residents.
In 2018 the swimming facility in the community of about 355 was closed after it was deemed structurally unsafe.
Since then, residents have been urging the Yukon Government to do whatever is needed to restore or rebuild the pool.
One of those people includes Yukon Party MLA for Ross River Stacey Hassard.
"I asked in the legislature on more than one occasion, you know what the status was. When it's going to be fixed?" Hassard said. "First they told me nothing's wrong with it. They just couldn't get staff."
"I tried to explain to them that in fact the government had done a report saying the building was unusable and unsafe. We went around and around for a couple years on that until they told me that 'Yes everything is fixed' and they were hiring staff in the Spring. And of course that didn't happen either."
Stacey Hassard, MLA for Pelly-Nisutlin sent a letter and petition to the Yukon Government on last week urging it to fulfill its commitment to give Ross River a functioning swimming pool. (Government of Yukon)
In an email to CBC News, the Yukon Government said it had anticipated that the Ross River pool would reopen in 2023 after repairs. However, it said that "additional areas of concerns" were identified during the repair process, which prevented the reopening.
The email didn't specify what the additional areas of concern are, but it said that the department is trying to determine how it can address the new findings.
But Hassard said that still leaves residents without any answers, timelines, or a pool.
"It's very frustrating for the community," Hassard said. "And to see the government spending millions and millions on recreational infrastructure in other communities ... The community of Ross River isn't asking for an Olympic-size pool with all the bells and whistles, they're just asking for the facility that they have or something similar."
113 signatures
Students attending the Ross River School wanted to express their desire to have a functioning swimming pool in their community.
So much so they decided to circulate a petition and write letters of their own to the government.
113 residents signed the petition in support of the initiative.
Verna Nukon, Deputy Chief of the Ross River Dena Council, signed her name to the petition.
"It means that the kids want their voices heard," Nukon said. "They want this thing for the community. It's a positive thing. I see it as a really good thing for Ross River, and for them stepping forward to do that it shows that a lot of our youth have that leadership trait in them."
Nukon said having the swimming pool back would have major benefits as people wouldn't be forced to travel long distances to neighbouring communities with pools to participate in aquatic programs.
"We're most welcome to use the pool in Faro but that's about an hour drive from the community whereas many of the parents can't afford to travel back and forth."
Verna Nukon is the deputy chief of the Ross River Dena Council. She was one of 113 residents to sign a petition to have the pool in Ross River restored or rebuilt. (Nancy Thomson/CBC)
Both Nukon and Hassard think having another recreation option available to youth like the swimming pool could deter them from engaging in other potentially harmful activities.
Forgotten community
On Friday, Hassard sent a letter and the petition to the Yukon Minister of Community Services, Richard Mostyn. The letter urged the government to address the community's concern and to work toward restoring or rebuilding the pool.
Hassard said he's looking forward to the government's response to his letter, but said he feels that the community of Ross River has been forgotten by the territorial government.
He said the government's falling short of meeting it's commitment for a functioning pool is an example of that.
"We 've been complaining about the roads to Ross River," Hassard said. "The school in Ross River. It appears to be a community that is being completely forgotten by this government."
CBC News requested an interview with Minister Mostyn but he was unavailable to comment.
A spokesperson with the department of Community Services did offer a statement, writing "We are currently reviewing the communications we received..regarding the Ross River swimming pool closure. We will provide a response to MLA Hassard as promptly as possible."
تم ادراج الخبر والعهده على المصدر، الرجاء الكتابة الينا لاي توضبح - برجاء اخبارنا بريديا عن خروقات لحقوق النشر للغير
