Aqua Learn to Swim encourages year-round water safety

Blacktown City Council is encouraging parents to continue their children’s swimming lessons during the cooler months as a way of helping youngsters maintain their confidence as well as safety and swimming skills which have already been developed.

Mindful of the 2015 National Drowning Report which showed that one fifth of all drowning deaths took place in winter, with 55% of them occurring in NSW and Queensland alone, Blacktown City Mayor Stephen Bali said the Council is committed to promoting water safety year-round.

Mayor Bali stated “drowning is a danger all year round, which is why it’s important to ensure that our children maintain their swimming skills and knowledge even when the temperature starts to become cooler.

“Families may not visit public pools or the beach as much during winter, but when the weather starts to get warmer many of us gravitate back to the water, so it’s important to maintain your swimming skills.”

To spread the message about water safety and the importance of learning to swim Pip the Penguin, the Aqua Learn to Swim mascot visited a number of Council Child Care Centres last month.

The visits included a water safety talk by the Aqua Learn to Swim team, covering topics such as water safety around public pools, swimming between the flags at the beach and what active supervision means.

Having celebrated its 40th birthday in the last year, the Council’s Mount Druitt Swimming Centre has taken out the NSW Parks and Leisure Australia (PLA) Award for ‘Inclusive and Connected Communities’ at the recent PLA NSW/ACT State Conference.

The award recognises the Centre’s commitment to the community through ongoing engagement, partnerships and programming.

The support of the community has played a key role in the Centre in restabilising its place as the community’s pool since re-opening in December 2014.

The Centre is a much sought-after venue for competitive swimming; hosting 21 school and zone swimming carnivals, the inaugural Blacktown City Council Swim Club Challenge and the 55th Annual RSL NSW Swim Club Challenge.

Innovative programming, including new Aqua Zumba and Aqua Exercise classes, was a hit with the community. These activities are included with Centre admission, as part of the Centre’s commitment to providing accessible and affordable health and fitness opportunities.

Welcoming the award and Mount Druitt Swimming Centre’s last season, Mayor Bali added “this award shows that Mount Druitt is so much more than the ‘Struggle Street’ persona but a community that comes together to deliver great programs and events.

“Without the support of our community partners and the work of the We Love Mount Druitt Pool advisory group Mount Druitt Swimming Centre would not have enjoyed such a great season.

“I would like to thank the following community organisations and businesses for their support this season; Multicultural and Ethnic Community Agency (MECA), Headspace Mt Druitt, AFL NSW/ACT, Rooty Hill RSL Swim Club, Lions Club Mt Druitt, Mt Druitt Community Health Centre, The Hub Mt Druitt, Aqua Learn to Swim, Westfield Mt Druitt, Women’s Activities and Self Help (WASH House) Mt Druitt, Little Kickers Blacktown & Districts and Channel Nine.”

Mount Druitt Swimming Centre will is now in the running for the PLA National Award that will be announced in October 2016.

Mount Druitt Swimming Centre will reopen for the 2016/17 Season in late September. 

Images: Blacktown's Learn to Swim mascot, Pip the Penguin has been promoting swimming lessons in local schools (top) and Mount Druitt Swimming Centre team members with their NSW Parks and Leisure Australia 2016 Award (middle and below).

2nd June 2016 - BLACKTOWN CITY COUNCIL TENDERS FOR FIRST SYNTHETIC SURFACE FOR RUGBY LEAGUE

4th May 2016 - BLACKTOWN CITY COUNCIL BUDGET BACKS SPORT VENUES

14th March 2016 - BLACKTOWN’S RECORD AQUA LEARN TO SWIM ENROLMENTS

22nd December 2015 - MOUNT DRUITT SWIMMING CENTRE CELEBRATES 40TH BIRTHDAY

28th November 2015 - BLACKTOWN LEARN TO SWIM STUDENTS MAKE A SPLASH WITH PIP THE PENGUIN

16th September 2015 - DROWNINGS HIGHLIGHT NEED TO TAKE MORE CARE AROUND WATER