By Pepper Parr
October 6th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Still no resolution on just who has what in terms of swimming pool use by swimming clubs in Burlington.
Mayor Meed Ward with Councillor Sharman during a Budget Blueprint meeting last week
At her last of six ward level meetings to discuss the Budget Blueprint Mayor MeedWard responded to Ted Gamble who had said: “ The city should do a thorough review of the Procurement Process”. Mayor Meed Ward responded: “I know the pool situation was a very difficult one for the community, for everyone involved.”
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns
The word has been out that ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns is prepared to put forward a Motion that would get the issue on the Council agenda later today, directing Council to have the City Auditor do a review of how the decision to award pool time to the two different swimming clubs operating in Burlington. Burlington Aquatic Devilrays (BAD) and the Golden Horseshoe Aquatic (GHAC)
Given the changes that have taken place at BAD, none of this may matter. Volunteer President Kimberly Calderbank and Vice President Katie Lebel resigned. The club has yet to issue a statement and there was nothing in the way of news on the BAD Facebook Page. Club Coach xxx is believed to have found people who resigned.
Councillor Kearns has gone silent since she returned from her trip to Africa. Should be an interesting Council meeting.
Club
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With the resignation of Kimberly Calderbank from the Burlington Aquatic Devilrays my question is: Does her son still swim with that team? He delegated at Council for the swim club.
My guess is no but what difference does that make?
The proposal of a review was lip service anyway. The deed is done, BAD is crumbing and the kids are left wondering what’s next, lots of left and others will probably have to leave when the team folds.
Try as might to pry information from my councilor I have had no success. It is legal now…..This is not about GHAC, BAD, or Ms. Calderbank.
Priority and use of all city amenities and facilities paid for and maintained by Burlington taxpayers should be for residents first every time.
The fact than this and other issues tend to end up with legal involvement speaks loudly about the incompetence and lack of accountability of all concerned.
There are clearly issues at the City in regard to managing our tax dollars that council apparently willingly close their eyes to. Fire them all.
I have no idea Bruce who initiated legal services however this seems to hapoen too often in our city. Inappropriate tender documents as was he case here often result in legal issues. Council did have the power in this document to intervene and chose not to. Zero accountability.
Bruce I dont think you read my comments. I have the RFP and with 35 years of complex tendering I have and will comment.
Within the RFP are Terms & Conditions that give Council the ability to walk away at any point for convenience. Given the inappropriate use of a construction template and unclear requirements and criteria Council should have before lawyers became involved. This just chokes public transparency. Intentional?
Bruce,
There are various types of formats utilized for different categories of requirements. The City used a template in 2020/025 that is exclusively used for construction. work. This shows either their lack of procurement experience or interference; purchasing have been told what to do. Any competent lawyer that I can conceive working for a City if asked would recognize the differences.
The RFP Terms and Conditions allow for termination for convenience at any stage of the process even before or after an award. Straightforward. When it became clear this was a mess and entirely off the rails either the city beaurocracy or council should have intervened. They have that power.
The fact that the same or a very similar process ( I don’t know) in both 2020 and 2025 suggests that their system is “static” however our taxes are skyrocketing. I can’t imagine how the City is handles the more complex needs when they can’t even manage a pool rental. Scary.
Accountable individuals would have taken this step to avoid/mitigate and if nothing else minimize legal involvement and cost unless their goal became an exercise of rounding up the wagons to avoid scrutiny which is where we seem to be.
It is repetition however all city facilities, pools, parks, etc. should be first for the exclusive use of residents who directly or indirectly pay for them through property taxes. I don’t care fiddlers if it is with GHAC or BAD or another organization.