I know I wasn’t alone this morning feeling frustrated, disappointed, and honestly defeated. I was one of many parents who set an alarm, logged in early, and was ready at 6:00 a.m. sharp on August 6 to register my kids for swim lessons—only to be met with a waitlist by 6:01.

We’re not talking about signing up for a pottery class or an after-school sport. This is a life-saving skill.

Our children deserve to learn how to swim—not next year, not “when more spots open someday,” but now. In a city surrounded by water, this should be essential programming. Yet every season, hundreds of families are turned away due to a lack of capacity.

We are asking the City of Nanaimo and Parks & Recreation to:

Add more swim lesson slots this fall — starting in September.
Hire more instructors to meet the clearly overwhelming demand.
Notify families currently on waitlists if and when new spots become available.

By failing to provide enough access to swim lessons, the city is putting children’s lives at risk. Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death among children, and swim lessons are a proven prevention tool.

This isn’t just about frustration—it’s about safety, equity, and responsible city planning. Our kids shouldn’t have to compete like this for something so basic.

Sign below if you agree it’s time for Nanaimo to act now and ensure every child has the opportunity to learn how to swim.