Senior swimmer sets world record marks at meet

Andrew McCredie Editor andrew@usnew.com

MARGERY Anderson learned how to swim the year the Great War ended.

Joe Fortes taught the then-15- year-old Anderson the basics in English Bay. Little did the legendary West End lifeguard know that 80 years later one of his students would be setting world records,

Last weekend at the Safeway Masters Championships at Ron Andrews pool, Anderson added to her list of world records with two new marks — the 50m freestvle and the 50.1 backstroke.

“I do it all on my back,” the 95- year-old said of her world-beating style.

During last weekend's meet, Anderson helped present Bonnie Pronk with the Ted Simpson Memorial Award. Anderson was the first-ever recipient of the achieve- ment award five years ago.

Pronk broke cight world and 20 Canadian records in 1997, and was a finalist for B.C. Masters Athlete of Year. honors. At last week’s Ron

Andrews meet, Pronk set a new world record mark in the 200m back-

stroke.

Despite her early fessons in the water, Anderson didn’t take up com- petitive swimming until nine years ago. At age 86. She gave up cycling at age 85 — “The roads just became too busy,”

she said — and needed a new activity.

“I always swam, but I never took too much interest in it until a few

years ago,” she said.

_ That interest has since blossomed into a full-fledged passion. At last year’s B.C. Senior Games, Anderson won six goid medals competing

agairist much younger competitors.

“Last year I was swimming in the 80-plus division, but this year Pve

moved up,” she explained.

Born in Yorkshire, England, she moved with her femily to Victoria at

age three, then on to Vancouver.

From page 1

Auxiliary officers must complete 160 hours of training and volunteer ‘160 hours of work a year, said Cpl. Bob Powell, head of training and recruiting in North Vancouver .

Powell said that auxiliary officers receive the same amount of gun train- ing as regular Mounties receive in Regina.

North Vancouver — auxiliary Mounties have gone on to become regular Mountics and municipal police officers. North Vancouver aux- iiaries, men and women, come from _all walks of life. The force included

: ‘chartered accountants, a funeral direc- _tor and small business owners.

Senior RCMP management in E Division headquarters in Vancouver officially support the provincial gov-

> ernment’s decision to remove the side

~ arms of auxiliary Mounties “while an

ongoing review is being conducted by the. Ministry of the Attorney General.” .

According to a RCMP press release, senior RCMP management “hoped™ that auyiliary officers will be able “to devote more time to crime prevention and community policing initiatives and less time to conducting high risk law enforcement functions.”

But several regular Mounties in North Vancouver echoed the surprise, disbelief and concerns the auxiliaries voiced about taking,

_ away the auxiliaries’ handguns.

Buyan describes the auxiliary role as the “cover officer” while the regular Mountic acts as the “contact officer” during a police call. Auxillary Mounties act as back up and partners to regular Mounties. ‘The second police officer in a-police car is either an auxiliary officer or a recruit (a novice Mountie.)

~ As far as the safety issue goes, if a regular

en: eee

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Mountie becomes involved in a dangerous or life-threatening situation, the unarmed auxiliary will not have a back up role to play in the situa- tion. The regular Mountie will have to protect the unarmed auxiliary and deal with the danger- ous situation at the same time.

Having two police officers respond to a call may be safer in situations where a suspected criminal might take on one officer, but not two.

North Vancouver Seymour MLA Daniel Jarvis said disarming auxiliary Mounties was

Sunday, April 12, 1998 — Nort Shore News — 3

NEWS photo Paul McGrath

BONNIE Pronk (left) was honored with a swimming achievement award last weekend at Ron Andrews pool. Presenting the award to the wortd record holder were Masters Swimming of B.C. vice-president Alex Muir (centre) and 95-year-old Margery Anderson — the 1953 winner of the award.

Anderson swims three times a week at the South Slope YMCA. Her days in the crisp waters off Vancouver’s West End, however, are over: “1 don’t Exe swimming there anymore because the beaches are so dirty.”

Swimming has always enjoyea a strong base among children, but increasingly older people are becoming involved in the activity.

In addition ro being a low-impact workout, Masters swimming offers participants a social network of Itke-minded individuals.

According to vice-presidenr Alex Muir, the Masters Swimming Association of B.C. has over 1,100 members — some highly competi- tive, others more recreationally-minded. In a little over a decade, mem- bership has grown four-fold.

Despite, seemingly, having reached the summit of her sport, Anderson still sees room for improvement. :

“I can make better times if I can just do my turns better,” she said. “Pe working on them but I’m not there yer.”

Decision to take guns surprises

Tracers Was

Fist rE;

“another stupid decision” made in haste by the NDP government. Jarvis didn’t know what prompted the decision, but nored that it was not cost effective to disarm volunteer peace officers. Jarvis speculates that the NDP’s philosophy about gun control may have something to do with the decision.

In North Vancouver, there were 2] auxiliary Mounties and 172 regular Mounties working. Auxiliary officers in other provinces don’t carry

guns.

Furor raised over foot fungus

Robert Gaister News Reporter robevt@nsnews.com

WHEN Penny McDonald’s feet became scaly, hot and itchy she decided she better start asking

questions.

But not before seeing a doctor.

It was several months ago that the North Vancouver resident was diag- nosed with athlete’s foor which she con- cluded she contracted at William Griffin Pool.

“How else could } have gotten it? I don’t go anywhere else,” deduced McDonald who regularly participates in an Aquacize program at the facility. “I go four times a week and 1 just found it unsanitary. It’s just gross.”

Her observations of the facility © included a ladies changing room floor covered with hair, dirt and often scraps of paper garbage.

Discussions with her classmates led McDonald to do something about the problem. Namely'she wrote a letter out- lining the situation and sent it off to both North Vancouver councils as well as instructors of the classes.

“Occasionally, because the floor is so dirty, staff members (lifeguards) have been required to hose the changing room duwn while swimmers are getting ready for class,” wrote McDonald. “This necessitates us, in our bare feet, dodging the wall of filth which is sometimes dif- ficult.”

While her letter didn’t cause a furor, it did receive a quick response from both politicians and the pool's chief adminis- trator.

“I agree with you that cleanliness in public facilities is next co godliness,” replied North Vancouver District Coun. Ernic Crist. “I myself am a user of the facilities at’ the William = Griffin RecCentre and I have noticed thar these facilities are not as clear as they used to be and sometimes leave much to be desired.”

Crist added he would forward a copy of McDonald’s letter in addition to his own to all North Vancouver recreation facilities.

William Griffin ReeCentre coordina- tor Perry Kulak’s response was swift. He outlined the pool’s current cleaning schedule which consists of three daytime hose-downs of the changing rooms in addition to impromptu cleanings “as required.” He went on to promise an additional scheduled cleaning and mue frequent monitoring. ;

“P think what’s happening .is our pools are ‘getting busier and busier all the time,” said Kulak, who has never had athlete's foot though he added he onee hada rash on his feet. “I don't get the impression it’s (state of the pool area) anv worse than it’s ever been.”

North Shore Health Department spokesman Rick Kwan said inspectors routinely inspect the various recreation facilities on the North Shore, but is not aware of any outbreaks of Athlete's Foor at any of them,

He said a disinfectant is typically used on the decks but added that no amount of chemical would prevent organisms from being spread after people start using the recreation facility.

“The answer is that infected people shouldnt go to public pools,” said Kwan. “Not just athlete’s foor but other diseases as well.”

Since contracting the pesky disease and embarking on her letter-writing course of action, McDonald has done two things.

First, she noticed a small improve- ment in the state of the facility. She also purchased rubber shoes she wears into the pool to isolate her from the filth should i¢ return to its previous levels.