By Gazette Staff
July 23rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Valeria Latkovic: “Go to GHAC. First, I don’t want to join the club whose Leadership is trying to break up my family.”
My name is Valeria, I’m a BAD senior competitive swimmer, and a Burlington resident. I started swimming with BAD when I was 6 years old and I’m now almost 15. I have spent more than half of my life swimming with the club that has become my family. I have trained thousands of hours, attended dozens of meets, attended international training camp, volunteered in the community over the last 9 years I have been with the club. The skills I acquired with BAD also allowed me to represent my Burlington high school. I trained with all the BAD coaches who have become important mentors in my life. My younger brother has been swimming with BAD for the last 3 years as well.
I attended the Council meeting on July 7th to support my club. My swim mate delegated at this meet. Mayor Meed Ward asked him what his options were at this point given that my club stands to close. It made me think and discuss this with my parents. So here are my options:
Go to GHAC. First, I don’t want to join the club whose Leadership is trying to break up my family. Also, GHAC senior swimmers train outside of Burlington in the McMaster pool facilities which is difficult for me to get to since my parents both work and cannot drive me. This situation created a rivalry between the clubs and I don’t think I will be welcomed there.
Go to OAK. Oak hasn’t responded to my application for trials. Although I qualified for provincial times, OAK is down one pool next year and they don’t have any more space. Also, OAK’s fees are almost double compared to what my parents pay at BAD, a significant hurdle for our family.
Go to Milton. In order for me to be able to join the team, I will have to change schools so that I can make it to practices. I don’t want to lose more friends. Also, it would be very challenging for my parents to drive me there to attend the practices.
It is the end of July and I don’t have a plan. I don’t know if I will be able to swim at all next year and it breaks my heart. I don’t understand why very capable adults cannot figure this out and prioritize the Burlington children in our community.
Valeria Latkovic: “I have trained thousands of hours, attended dozens of meets, attended international training camp, volunteered in the community over the last 9 years I have been with the club.”
We are running out of time. BAD and swimmers like me want to stay with our community and represent the amazing city we live in.
I have been following with interest, the ongoing struggles of the Burlington Aquatic Devilrays (BAD) in acquiring city pool time for the next 5 years.
I have listened to the leaders of BAD and GHAC, the Burlington City Council, and have read several editorial comments in the Gazette. Throughout it all, I believe that Valeria, a long-time swimmer with BAD, has painted the most vivid picture of how these swimmers are being affected.
The BAD swimmers are suffering, through no fault of their own, or that of their Club. Currently, they are orphaned without a home pool. Surely the city has to see what is at stake here. Look Valeria and her 400+ Burlington teammates in the eye, and explain to them how this can be happening.
Hang in there Valeria. Hopefully this can be remedied soon.
This is all very heartbreaking for Burlington as a whole, but particularly heartbreaking for all members of the BAD Swimmer Team and Coaches etc..
Burlington Pools are built and paid for by Burlington Tax Payers for Burlington residents useage! (Not for Hamilton groups).
The one and only time City of Burlington should even be considering outside of Burlington rental contracts, is if, and only if, the Burlington Pools are not needed or being used by Burlington residents or Burlington Swim Teams.
The contract was awarded to a Hamilton area organization that operates in all of the “City of Hamilton” which includes Hamilton, Ancaster, Dundas, Waterdown and Stoney Creek. GHAC can rent pool time amongst this entire area for swim hours; they should Not be encroaching on Burlington for a quick fix! According to what I have read in this, GHAC does not even have the required members to qualify for swim rental hours in Burlington in the first place.
Also, the RFP process was Not handled fairly between all participants that submitted their RFP applications. One group was given a pass on the required corporate documents required. All other Applicants should have received equal opportunities in the process, but were not.
Burlington staff or a group of staff members handling this at COB have made a huge mistake in allocating pool time to GHAC, a Hamilton group, and need to fix their mistakes!
Time for City staff and Council to own up to this tragic mistake and fix it now!