Council exploring options for Vauxhall lifeguards

Posted on December 4, 2025 by Vauxhall Advance

By Nikki Jamieson
Vauxhall Advance
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Vauxhall council is exploring options for training local lifeguards.

In a verbal discussion during Vauxhall town council’s regular Nov. 17 meeting, Mayor Kim Cawley said the town had been having issues getting local lifeguards to staff the town pool. She had spoken with some youth last year who were interested, but the issue was them getting the certification needed, such as the Bronze Medallion. Unfortunately, Vauxhall does not have a course they can offer, and potential lifeguards would need to travel to get it.

Cawley noted that previous councils had discuss the possibility of putting together a bursary or funding for local kids to help them get that certification in either Calgary, Lethbridge, Brooks, or Medicine Hat in hope they will stay in Vauxhall over the summer and work as a lifeguard during their high school years. Coun. Shelley DeLeeuw confirmed that the previous council had discussed the issue, but Cawley said no decision had been made at the time. It would also help them promote swimming lessons at the pool.

CAO Cris Burns noted that “With the new pool and the big delay in the pool being closed, we lost a lot of that in-house (talent).” Shelley also noted that there hadn’t been a lot of options at the local pool for families, so they looked elsewhere. Town office manager and assistant CAO Mindy Dunphy added that the town was “lacking” in dummies and other training equipment for the lifeguard certification.

Shelley wondered what the local options were for lifeguard certification, asking if it could be done in a weekend or is it involved several weekends of training. Questions were also raised as per cost and timing.

“I definitely think we should do something, like even a per cent or some sort of reimbursement to keep our local kids here, but I just don’t know all the information,” said Shelley.

The idea of setting assigned a certain amount of funds was floated, but Burns cautioned they would need to set up a policy to determine how it worked. Additionally, they would also need lifeguards aged 18 or older working at the pool in addition to high schoolers.

Council requested administration to come back with more information on the topic.