The Kinsmen Water Park outdoor pool will open July 10 for group bookings only. (Tourism Saskatchewan)

By Alison Sandstrom

Ready to make a splash

‘Absolutely thrilled’ P.A. water-lovers welcome new opening announcements

Jun 26, 2020 | 4:58 PM

A community advocate is welcoming news Prince Albert spray parks are set to reopen next week, meanwhile the city’s swimming community is excited about the opportunity to get back in the pool.

Joy Friesen, a Masters swimmer with the Prince Albert Sharks Swim Team told paNOW she was “absolutely thrilled” with the city’s decision to open the outdoor pool at Kinsmen Water Park on July 10.

“It’s been four months of no swimming and that’s been a long hard time for the swimmers on the club,” she said. “Being able to get out and swim will be good for their physical and mental health.”

Last summer, Friesen practiced four to five times a week in the Kinsmen outdoor pool. This season, she said she’ll go even more if possible.

“If I can get booked in, I’m there – in a heartbeat.”

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The team’s head coach, Hazem Hussein, explained the opening of the pool means swimmers will have the chance to participate in the sport they love. For high performance athletes, it will also allow them to start to get back in the top physical form required for high level competition.

“It’s an opportunity to get back to normal life,” he said. “Because right now, they are really missing the pool.”

Coaching staff have been doing dry land exercises with athletes on Zoom, he explained, but their options for training have been limited.

Hussein said he’s in the process of talking with the team’s board and the City to see about starting practices at the outdoor pool.

When athletes do return, new COVID-19 guidelines from both Swimming Canada and Swim Saskatchewan will be carefully followed to ensure safety he added.

Meanwhile, for younger water lovers, the planned opening of splash parks next week will be a welcome relief for families looking to cool off this summer.

Donna Strauss with the P.A. Early Childhood Council said it’s been particularly hard for parents and kids with schools closed over the past several months.

“I think everybody has been isolated for such a long time that any activity, especially free activities like the spray parks that families can enjoy, they’ll be glad to have those open again,” she said.

Six of the city’s spray parks are expected to open July 2.

The seventh, beside the Bernice Sayese Centre, is under construction and will be ready later in July.

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom