For Immediate Release
Victoria, BC, November 1, 2026 – The Spirit Orcas Swim Club, British Columbia’s only master’s-level swim club dedicated to athletes with physical and intellectual disabilities, is struggling to secure accessible pool space following the closure of Crystal Pool. Without consistent access to suitable facilities, the club’s athletes face significant barriers to continuing their training and participating in the sport.
One month after Crystal Pool’s closure, the Spirit Orcas are still without an adequate solution. Coach Susan Simmons has contacted municipal recreation in Oak Bay, Esquimalt, the West Shore, and Saanich, in an effort to secure accessible training space. Despite these efforts, no arrangement has been found that meets the club’s needs. This is particularly concerning given the accessibility, diversity and equity commitments outlined in municipal and recreation provider policies and plans.
Prior to the closure of Crystal Pool, the Spirit Orcas trained three evenings a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. They have since been reduced to a one-hour session on Saturday afternoons at Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., and a one-hour session on Sundays at Saanich Commonwealth Place, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
The arrangements at Juan de Fuca and Saanich Commonwealth Place fall far short of providing equitable access to aquatic recreation. The Spirit Orcas have been relegated to weekend training sessions, while mainstream swim clubs have access to regular weekday schedules. This puts Spirit Orcas athletes at a disadvantage, denying them the consistent, structured training opportunities needed to develop their skills, build fitness and progress in their sport. Training on two consecutive days followed by five days without pool access is neither a meaningful nor sustainable training program. The inequity is further compounded at Juan de Fuca, where the club is charged full facility fees despite serving a low-income population. While Saanich Commonwealth Place has provided a discounted rate, the club’s Sunday access is dependent on pool availability and is not available when swim competitions are scheduled.
The closure of Crystal Pool did not create the inequity faced by the Spirit Orcas; it exposed it. The club’s reliance on Crystal Pool had previously masked a longstanding gap in equitable access to aquatic recreation for people with disabilities throughout the Capital Regional District. With that facility no longer available, the lack of suitable alternatives has become impossible to ignore. The Spirit Orcas’ experience raises an important question: What do municipal commitments to equity and inclusion actually mean if people with disabilities cannot access meaningful recreational opportunities?
The Accessible British Columbia Act requires municipalities to develop accessibility plans that identify, remove and prevent barriers to the full and equal participation of people with disabilities. These legislative responsibilities, alongside municipal and recreation provider commitments to accessibility and inclusion, must translate into meaningful action. Accessibility cannot exist solely in policy documents or mission statements. It must be reflected in decisions about facility access, pool allocation and affordability.
With municipal and provincial elections recently concluded, the Spirit Orcas are calling on newly elected representatives to make equitable access to recreation a priority. Municipal leaders, regional recreation providers and the provincial government must work together to address the barriers facing athletes with disabilities and find a sustainable regional solution.
The Spirit Orcas are not asking for preferential treatment. They are asking for fair, consistent and affordable access to aquatic facilities so their athletes can continue to train, develop their skills, compete and belong. Newly elected representatives have an opportunity to demonstrate that accessibility and inclusion are more than words in policy documents. It is time to turn those commitments into action.
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About the Spirit Orcas
The Spirit Orcas are a Victoria-based inclusive masters swim club made up of adult athletes with intellectual and physical disabilities. Founded in 2018 by ultra-marathon swimmer and person living with multiple sclerosis, Susan Simmons, the club aims to challenge and shatter the limits placed on people with disabilities by training and competing alongside neurotypical and able-bodied adults.
For more information, visit spiritorcas.ca.
Media Contact
Susan Simmons
Head Coach, Spirit Orcas
Email: info @ susansimmons.ca
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