I always thought that the purpose of the recreation department was to encourage, not discourage, people to exercise. Apparently I was mistaken about this with respect to the Abbotsford recreation department.

I am speaking of the new schedule for ARC that begins July 1st and runs until Centennial Pool opens or the Whalers competition season ends – whichever comes first. In keeping with the operating behaviour of the City of Abbotsford the decision about this schedule was made behind closed doors and without consultation with or consideration of patrons.

I accept that some inconvenience must result from the need to accommodate the Whalers due to the failure of Centennial Pool to be opened in time for the Whalers to begin training for competition. I made the necessary, though personally inconvenient, changes to my exercise (swimming) schedule to get my needed exercise in around the Whalers schedule.

This was possible because for May and June the Whalers finished by 9PM leaving the 1 hour adult swim available to those displaced swimmers and water-cisesrs. However in the proposed new (indefinite) schedule this time has been reduce to a ½ hour – inadequate time for a proper exercise regimen.

I think it only reasonable that the proposed schedule be amended to ensure at least one hour as the minimum time for an exercise workout. If it is not possible to reschedule the Whalers so that they continue to finish by 9PM, then the pool should be kept open until 10:30PM until the Whalers are able to move to Centennial Pool.

Should it be suggested that this extra expense is to onerous I suggest that the money should come from the salaries of those in City management who, lacking the common sense to hire someone who had experience in pool construction, are responsible for the need to accommodate the Whalers.

Not only would this be an equitable sharing of the pain the Whalers and patrons of ARC have had to endure for no justifiable reason, but it would hopefully serve to encourage common sense and good business practices as future behaviour from senior management.