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
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?
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.
Ted, with respect, you only mention City staff incompetence in the management of the RFP as being a reason for the involvement or possible involvement of lawyers in this matter. You ignore that right? From the start after the awarding of the RFP it was BAD that involved lawyers and called for a judicial review.
In situations like this, it is always the losing party that threatens and often involves lawyer because they feel aggrieved. I’m not saying City staff have not been incompetent. I just don’t know whether they have or they have not. I do not have that knowledge. Nor do you.
I completely agree with you that City amenities must first be made available to City residents before any others. Neither you, nor I nor anyone outside of City staff and Council members know the make up of those signed up by either BAD or GHAC to use allocated pool time at City of Burlington swimming pools.
Until Council releases all the facts and figures about this matter anything you or I or anyone else says is simply conjecture and likely biased at that. Let’s hope Council provides full disclosure in the imminent future.
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.
Calderbank should join the leadership of CUPW at Canada Post! She and CUPW have both overplayed their hands to the detriment of their members. She should have taken a lesson from GHAC who classify refrained from public whining and mud throwing.
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.