Jubilant opening for Mariners on Main

Lifeguards are also being trained as swim instructors

Once again, there is the sound of balls bouncing in the gym, the clinking of weight machines and the splashing of water in the pool.

The long-awaited time when Mariners on Main would open its doors to the public arrived Oct. 14-17 with a soft opening of the facility, which included tours of the facility and drop-ins. Regular hours began on Oct. 18.

Drop-in rates during last week’s soft opening for use of the pool, fitness centre, gym and group fitness classes were waived for those who brought in a non-perishable food item for the food bank. The public tours were provided at scheduled times.

The complex was formerly known as the Yarmouth YMCA, and was run by the YMCA but closed in June

2020 after years of financial issues that were made worse by the COVID pandemic. The facility is now serving as a bridge facility for the community until a hoped-for expansion of the Mariners Centre is approved. Any construction and opening of an expansion, if it goes ahead, would still be many years away.

David Smith, one of many visitors during the soft opening of the facility, said he’s really looking forward to the place being open again.

“I think a lot of people have been missing this. When this place closed down it hurt a lot of feelings and impacted a lot of people, especially those that use this as a meeting place, a safe place,” he said.

“Friday Fun Days were really important for the youth. I think when they closed they had nowhere to go, especially with the basketball gym being closed down,” he added. “I know for me, personally, I like coming here because I like to separate home and working out. Having a gym at home doesn’t cut it.”

For the Yarmouth Whitecaps the absence of the facility, which has the community’s only public pool,Mariners on Main is now open.

Dorgam Hideib, CEO for the Mariners Centre and overseer of the renovations of Mariners on Main, provided tours to visitors during the mid-October opening. was a difficult time. After the YMCA closed in June 2020, the swim team had to train in Lake Milo. When the water became too cold, the team took the long drive back and forth to the Université Sainte Anne pool.

Whitecaps coach Alix d’Entremont said it was overwhelming to be back in the Yarmouth pool and that all of the swimmers were ecstatic.

“We took a moment on Tuesday (Oct. 5), at our first practice to take it all in,” d’Entremont said.

“There’s been a lot of work put into this outcome. We appreciate all of the work the community has put in, especially the quick work done by Mariners on Main in the most recent months,” she said.

“We’re so excited to welcome a troupe of coaches and new swimmers into the program, when we start our Nova Tech Program.,” she added.

D’Entremont said the team is very impressed with the pool facility and that the repairs on the pool deck are great.

The facility on Yarmouth’s Main Street is being run by the Mariners Centre – hence, the name, Mariners on Main.

Dorgam Hideib, CEO for the Mariners Centre and also the overseer of the renovations at Mariners on Main, said the pool began hosting Lifeguard Training Courses the first week of September.

He wants the community to understand that they are actively training the lifeguards into swimming instructors.

“In the near term, swimming lessons will be limited this fall and will grow with each cycle of lifeguard and instructor training we host,” he said.

There is information on the Mariners Centre’s website about the rates, memberships, programs and schedules for the facility. Information and updates are also posted regularly on the Mariners Centre Facebook page.

“I think a lot of people have been missing this. When this place closed down it hurt a lot of feelings and impacted a lot of people, especially those that use this as a meeting place, a safe place,”

David Smith