NEWS RELEASE
TOWN OF COLLINGWOOD
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Centennial Aquatic Centre recently received some upgrades as a result of fundraising efforts by the in-house swim team, Collingwood Clippers.
Six new starting blocks were installed this week, replacing the original blocks installed in 2013. The new blocks, installed by RecTec Management, meet the FINA and World Aquatics guidelines and are the same Swiss Timing blocks found at the Pan Am Centre in Toronto and other high-performance facilities across the country. The team currently has almost 200 swimmers and is one of the largest competitive clubs north of Toronto.
The total cost of the project was approximately $52,000, which was paid for through corporate sponsorships, local donations, and fundraising by swim team members, friends and families in support of their upcoming Swim-a-Thon. The Clippers gratefully acknowledge the support from the community, including corporate sponsorships from local businesses Derek Crespy Broker RE/MAX Four Seasons, Grayley Electric, Canopy Media, Tatham Engineering, Collingwood Optimist Club, and Fiberprotect, as well as a sizable donation from local philanthropists, the Robert and Margaret Donaldson Family Foundation.
“The addition of the new starting blocks has been made possible through the unwavering passion and commitment of many dedicated volunteers, coaches and community members as well as our generous financial donors. On behalf of the Clippers, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our remarkable community and the Town of Collingwood parks, recreation and culture department for their outstanding support. With the new starting blocks, we’ve not only enhanced the facility; we’ve made an investment in the dreams and aspirations of the entire Collingwood swimming community. An effective start to a race can help shave crucial time off an athlete’s swim and be the deciding factor in achieving a goal, time standard, or broken record. We look forward to watching our community swim teams dive in, dream big, and achieve beyond,” says Naomi Paterson, Collingwood Clippers president.
In addition to the Collingwood Clippers, other user groups and swimmers will benefit from these enhancements to the facility, including the masters swim team and defending provincial champions, Georgian Bay Squall, the local high school teams from Collingwood Collegiate Institute and Our Lady of the Bay Catholic High School, and Special Olympics swimmers, several of whom have recently qualified to compete at the provincial level.
Recognizing a need and independently raising funds to purchase the blocks has demonstrated great stewardship by the Collingwood Clippers and serves as an example to other recreation groups in the community. Of their achievement, Michelle Findlay, manager of recreation services, parks, recreation and culture, notes, “We’re incredibly grateful for the commitment and dedication from the Collingwood Clippers. We hope that their initiative to independently raise funds for pool improvements will inspire others in the community to do the same. The benefit of these improvements will be enjoyed by many patrons of the Centennial Aquatic Centre.”
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