Regular swim times “mean the world” to Hamlet of Tulita

In the past, children in the Hamlet of Tulita lined up at the community pool—eager and ready to swim. But when the pool’s only lifeguard called in sick, their excitement turned to disappointment. 

“The disappointment was palpable. The children, who had eagerly lined up at the pool, were told that it would not open that day due to the absence of a lifeguard,” recalls Igor, Director of Recreation for the Hamlet of Tulita. “It was a frustrating experience for them, their parents, and the entire community.” 

That all changed in the summer of 2024 when the community in the Northwest Territories trained three new lifeguards and subsidized part of their wages thanks to funding from the CPRA’s National Swimming Recovery Program (NSSRP), funded by the Government of Canada.  

Igor says that the hiring and training of additional lifeguards meant that the community pool stayed open just about every day over the summer – which wasn’t the case in previous years.  

“Last summer, the pool would be open one day for five hours and then closed for four days. Then it would open for one day and stay closed for the next three days,” he explains, adding that the additional lifeguards meant that the pool remained consistently open for eight hours a day from Monday to Saturday. “This year, it worked very well.” 

With the additional lifeguards, Igor says the pool became a gathering place for the community – and provided a place where residents could participate in programs such as all-women’s and public swims. It even became a popular spot for families to rent out for parties and children’s birthdays. 

“We have an Arena here and the school gym,” he says, adding that the second closest pool to the community is far away. “This year, people could go and enjoy the swimming pool and even sit on the deck with friends. It made people very happy.” 

The program also helped promote water safety within the Hamlet of Tulita. Residents who would otherwise swim in a nearby river had a safe space to swim under the lifeguards’ supervision. The lifeguards also showed pool-goers the basics of swimming, and residents learned important water skills which kept them safe.  

Igor says the program also made significant, positive impacts on the youth who were hired and trained as lifeguards.  

Living in a remote community of about 500 people can be challenging for young people, he says - particularly when it comes to finding employment.  

He also adds that the youth lifeguards could contribute to their family budgets, and the work gave them a sense of purpose and belonging. 

“Without work, life is tough. This was very good for their mental state because they felt responsible for going to work and doing their job properly,” he says. 

He says the job opportunities also gave the youth ambition, adding that they each expressed an interest in working again at the pool. 

“All three of them said they want to work again next year, and if there were any openings before that, they would be available and willing to help,” Igor says. 

He adds that these youth also learned important job skills they can use in future employment, such as first aid. 

“Knowing first aid will be tremendous in their future employment – whether they want to work with us or if they want to pursue another job opportunity,” Igor says. “First aid is a tremendous life skill because you never know what could happen at any workplace or household.” 

He says the jobs also instilled a sense of responsibility and maturity within the youth.  

Overall, Igor says the program had a significant impact on the community. This impact was reflected in the pool’s closing day party – which brought out residents to celebrate the successful season, swim one more time, have snacks, and enjoy the good weather together.  

“Without this funding, this would not have been possible at all,” Igor says. “I’m very grateful, and the community members are very grateful. The community satisfaction and spirit were high, and this funding meant the world to us.”