Time for the City to do the right thing for the Burlington Aquatic Devilrays

By Pepper Parr

July 13^th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

OPINION

The proof is always in the pudding.

The Burlington Aquatic Devilrays (BAD) made that point in a very commanding fashion during the weekend

The team that went to the Swim Ontario 2026 Championships and came home with two silver medals. Devilrays CoachSergei Soloukhin with Ella Markowsky and the three youth swimmers: Seamus Hilson, Remi Jacquemart and Heinrich Meissner-Roloff.

The Swim Ontario Championships that took place in Toronto ranked the 89 clubs that participated

BAD ended up in 43rd place with 241 points and Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club (GHAC) ended up in 58th place with 128 points out of 89 clubs.

This was the club that was given all the pool time for three years in a contract that was determined by a Procurement procedure that was not designed or intended for small financial matters.

Procurement, a very rigorous process used when million-dollar fire trucks are being bought.

Mayor Meed Ward is reported to have said that contracts can be broken and that the Procurement process was a mistake.

Time for the city to correct that mistake.

BAD, had to scramble to find space for its members and was fortunate enough to get pool time at the YMCA.

Two weeks ago, BAD held its annual Long Course Invitational that was a huge success.

The Club has held this event for several years.

BAD learned that in 2027 GHAC will have the pool for the second week in June, which meant BAD didn’t have a pool for their annual event.

Consideration is being given to letting BAD use the pool for the 4^th week of June in 2027.  ‘Consideration being given’ is not enough.  BAD has to plan for the event, and the clubs that take part in the event have to plan as well.

BAD swimmers practicing.

BAD has been left with a serious predicament by the city. Council doesn’t seem to be fussed by the problem.  They don’t seem to have a problem with letting a Hamilton-based club push a 40-year Burlington Club aside with little in the way of explanation.

One would think that Council members would applaud what BAD managed to do during the Swim Ontario event.

BAD ranked much higher than GHAC in the final standings total.

GHAC  showed their colours in a YouTube video, bragging that they were now the “Burlington Swimming Club”.

Tough statement to back up when you are 15 points lower in the rankings that the club you have been bullying for the past two years.

Related news story:

Just how well BAD did in the Championships and what it means to the city