Swim Lessons

Important notice for those currently enrolled in winter swim lessons on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays only. Please note that lessons will be cancelled March 6 to 8, 2021 as a result of filming taking place at the facility. Lessons will be extended one week up to April 24, 2021. If you have any concerns please email us or call us at 519-756-9900. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.

Your safety in and around the water is important to us! We offer swimming lessons all year round. View all swim lesson information and classes online visit RecConnect. We also have limited financial assistance if you qualify. You can also follow our Swim Lessons group Facebook page for real-time updates, swim related information and reminders.

How do I know what level to register my child in?

View the conversion chart to find out how to convert a Red Cross lesson into a LSS lesson or call us to schedule a free swim assessment. Your child must be turning the minimum age when the program starts not during the program as set by the Lifesaving Society.

Winter swim lesson registration

We recognize the importance of safety in and around water. Due to the pandemic and continued priority to ensure the health and safety of staff and the community, we will be offering fall swim lessons and lifeguard and instructor courses with additional new protocols in place.

You can register online beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 9. In person registration is on Thursday, December 10. Online registration is highly recommended.

Lessons run once a week for 8-weeks January 11 to March 8 for all swim levels (including Parent and Tot 1 to 3). Parents/Caregivers of children in Swimmer 4 and under must get into the water with their child(ren). A maximum of two children per parent is allowed in all levels excluding parent and tot where a maximum of one child per parent is allowed. Please note that schedules have been reduced due to capacity limitations and sanitizing. We recommend adding your name to the waitlist which we will do our best to accommodate.

View swim lesson details online prior to registration on Wednesday, November 25 at 8:00 a.m. You can also view swim class descriptions below.

Additional COVID-19 protocols

Pre-screening will be in place upon entering the facility and you will be asked to use the hand sanitizer provided.
Face coverings are mandatory when inside the building but not required in the pool during the lesson. (BY-LAW 106-2020)
Arrive only five minutes prior to your swim lesson.
New protocols for traffic flow and enhanced cleaning will be in effect.
Water fountains will be available for water bottle refills only.
Change room access is limited. Please arrive in your bathing suit. We ask that you change and shower at home when possible.
Lockers are not available for use at this time. Please leave your valuables at home.
Physical distancing is required at all times.
Stay home if you are feeling unwell or experience any symptoms of COVID-19.

Online registration video instruction

You can register online from anywhere using a computer, tablet or mobile device for all of our courses. Watch our RecConnect Online Registration How-to Video to find out how simple and easy it is. It also includes some helpful tips to make your registration go smoothly.

Financial assistance during COVID-19

It's important to us that all children and youth in our community have the chance to access swim lessons. Limited financial assistance is available for children and youth 17 years and under. View the financial assistance chart to find out if you qualify.

Required documents

You must be able to provide the following documents to apply.

If you are currently on Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP):

Current pay stub and Drug card or Healthy Smiles card or;
Current pay stub and Child Tax Benefit (child(ren’s) names must be listed)

If you are not on Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) but still qualify for financial assistance:

Income Tax Form or Notice of assessment and a current pay stub or;
Current pay stub and Child Tax Benefit or;
Employment Insurance Stub and Child Tax Benefit

How to apply

There are three (3) options to apply for financial assistance. Please note that to register for swim lessons pre-approval is required but does not guarantee your child/youth will be enrolled in the swim lesson of your choice. Applications must be received no later than Friday, December 4. For quicker processing we highly recommend option one (1) below.

Option 1: complete the Financial assistance application online attaching the applicable documents. Someone from our team will contact you at the number provided to let you know the status of your application and notify you of next steps for registration.

Option 2: call us during operating business hours and someone on our team will fill out the financial assistance application form over the phone with you. Applicable documents must still be received in order to finalize the approval. Our team will let you know next steps when they speak with you.

Option 3: visit the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre (254 North Park Street) in-person during operating business hours with all applicable documents and someone on our team will assist you.

Once you are pre-approved there are three (3) ways to register for swim lessons beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 9. (We highly recommend registering for swim lessons in-person.)

In-person during business operating hours at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre (254 North Park Street) at the arena information desk or;
Register online using a Visa or Mastercard. After you have registered you must email us a copy of the receipt so we can reimburse the applicable funds within 7 business days or;
Call us Please note that if the lesson is not 100% covered we would require credit card payment at the time of registration for the remaining amount.

Makeup classes

We do not reschedule swimming lessons for personal reasons such as illness, vacations or sporting events.

Photography

We want you to capture the special moments by taking pictures, but not everyone wants to be in your picture. We will allow one day per session to take pictures, which will be on the last day of swimming lessons.

Preschoolers

If your child is not potty-trained, please make sure to dress them in pool-safe diapers (e.g. Little Swimmers). We sell these at the front desk but we have limited stock available. We will not allow regular diapers in the pool.

Private and semi-private swimming lessons

We offer private swimming lessons and semi-private swimming lessons are available.

Private Swim Lessons

One-on-one swimming lessons are available throughout the week for swimmers ages three and older that need more attention to improve on their swimming skills. It is ideal for those that may move, learn, or communicate differently as well.

View our complete private swim lesson rate, ratio and length for ages three and up.

Private rates
Rates	Class length	Classes	Ratio
$212.00 per person	30 minutes	8	1:1

Semi-Private Swim Lessons

To set-up semi-private lessons (two swimmers to one instructor), you must do the following:

Register the first swimmer into a regular private lesson at the regular private lesson rate then;
Call us to register the second swimmer at an additional, reduced rate

Note: for safety reasons, the two swimmers being registered in the semi-private lessons, must be no greater than two levels apart (e.g. Swim Kids 1 and Swim Kids 3) unless pre-approved by the Aquatic Supervisor. We will not be able to permit a child ages three to six, to be in a semi-private lesson with a child that is capable of swimming 25m's or more of the pool.

View our semi-private swimming lessons rate, ratio and length for ages three and up.

Semi-private rates
Rates	Class length	Classes	Ratio
$156.00 per person (in addition to the private lesson fee of $212.00)	30 minutes	8	1:2

Swim class descriptions

Parent and Tot 1 (4 to 12 months)

Your child will learn to enjoy being in the water with you in this class.

Parent and Tot 2 (12 to 24 months)

Your child will learn to enjoy being in the water with you in this class.

Parent and Tot 3 (2 to 3 years)

Your child will learn to enjoy being in the water with you in this class.

Preschool 1

Your preschooler will learn to get in and out of the water and jump into chest deep water. They will do floats and glides on their front and back, and learn to get their face wet and blow bubbles underwater.

Preschool 2

You're preschooler will learn to jump into chest deep water by themselves, and how to get in and get out wearing a lifejacket. They'll also submerge and exhale underwater. While they wear a lifejacket they'll glide on their front and back.

Preschool 3

Your child will try both jumping and a sideways entry into deep water while they wear a lifejacket and they'll recover objects from the bottom in waist-deep water. They'll also work on kicking and gliding through the water on their front and back.

Preschool 4

Your child will learn to do solo jumps into deeper water and how to get out by themselves. They'll do sideways entries and open their eyes underwater. They'll also master a short (5m) swim on their front wearing a lifejacket and gliding and kicking on their side.

Preschool 5

Your child will get more confident with a forward roll entry wearing a lifejacket and treading water for 10 sec. They'll work on front and back crawl swims for 5m, interval training and get a giggle out of whip kick.

Swimmer 1

Your child will become comfortable jumping into water with and without a lifejacket. They'll learn to open their eyes, exhale and hold their breath underwater. They'll also work on floats, glides and kicking through the water on their front and back.

Swimmer 2

Your child will learn to feel comfortable jumping into deeper water and learn to fall sideways into the water wearing a lifejacket. They'll also learn to support themselves on the surface without an aid, whip kick, swim 10m on their front and back, and we will introduce them to flutter kick interval training (4 x 5m).

Swimmer 3

Your child will dive and do front somersaults, and handstands in the water. They'll work on their front crawl for 15m, back crawl and whip kick for 10 m. Their flutter kick interval training will increase to 4 x 15m.

Swimmer 4

Your child will swim 5m underwater and complete lengths of front and back crawl, whip kick, and breaststroke arms with breathing. They will also finish the Canadian Swim to Survive^® Standard then finish with front crawl sprints over 25m and 4 x 25m front or back crawl interval training.

Swimmer 5

Your swimmer will master their shallow dives, cannonball entries, eggbeater kicks, and in-water backward somersaults. They'll refine their front and back crawl over 50m, and breaststroke over 25m. Then they'll pick up the pace doing 25m sprints and two interval training stints: 4 x 50m front or back crawl; and 4 x 15 m breaststroke.

Swimmer 6

Your swimmer will rise to the challenge of more advanced skills including stride entries, compact jumps and lifesaving kicks like eggbeater and scissor kick. They'll develop strength and power in head-up breaststroke sprints over 25 m. They'll easily swim lengths of front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke, and complete a 300 m workout.

Rookie Patrol/Swimmer 7

Your swimmer will continue stroke development with 50 m swims of front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke. Lifesaving sport skills include a 25 m obstacle swim and 15 m object carry. First aid focuses on assessment of conscious victims, contacting EMS, and treatment for bleeding. Fitness improves in 350 m workouts and 100 m timed swims.

Ranger Patrol/Swimmer 8

Your swimmer will develop better strokes over 75 m swims of each stroke. They tackle lifesaving sport skills in a lifesaving medley, timed object support and rescue with a buoyant aid. First aid focuses on assessment of unconscious victims, treatment of victims in shock and obstructed airway procedures. Skill drills develop a strong lifesaving foundation.

Star Patrol/Swimmer 9

Your swimmer will be challenged with 600 m workouts, 300 m timed swims and a 25 m object carry. Strokes are refined over 100 m swims. First aid focuses on treatment of bone or joint injuries and respiratory emergencies including asthma and allergic reactions. Lifesaving skills include defense methods, victim removals and rolling over and supporting a victim face up in shallow water.

Adult Lessons

This program is designed for anyone 14 and over who would like to learn how to swim. Non-swimmers to beginners or if you just want to improve your strokes. This class suits all levels of swimmers. Find an upcoming class.

Silver Swimmers

It's never too late to improve your swimming or learn new techniques. This class is designed for non-swimmers or swimmers who want to improve. Enjoy 15 minutes in the warm water pool after class. Find an upcoming class.