Swimmers can stop holding their breath: the pool at Jarvis Collegiate will not be drained on Dec. 31. Cabbagetown group Community Matters (CMT) has been working very closely with the Aquatics Working Group (AWG) to raise all of the approximately $69,000 of funding needed to keep the swimming pool open till at least late August 2010. The pool at JCI had been slated to be drained by the end of the year as part of a Toronto District School Board cost-cutting measure.

 

CMT, which draws its membership largely from St. James Town, views the pool at JCI as their neighbourhood pool. With the deadline looming, CMT was able secure a large donation from Manulife Financial. “Manulife has always been a good friend,” said board chair Chris Hallett. A somewhat smaller donation from the Boys and Girls Club was also vital in keeping the pool open in the short term.

 

Hallett says the donations helped give his organization some breathing room. “It was relief in that we were able to get the time to bring the community together to solve this problem, which is what we wanted all along.” CMT is hoping over the next eight months they will be able to put the programs in place to keep the pool open permanently.