This will be my last commentary on the discussion about use of the changing rooms at the Fountain Park pool.
I have pointed out that I am not upset or fazed by my nudity in the women's changing room. After all I have been to naturist resorts and nude beaches. My concern has been for the older women I know who are upset at being stared at, particularly by young boys who are in the women’s change room at Fountain Park, especially when there is a family change area which could accommodate young children with a parent or guardian of either sex.
The “suck it up buttercup” attitude to these older people, the women, is in my opinion disrespectful. Many of these ladies in their 70s, 80s and yes, even 90s, do not deserve to be abused in this disparaging way.
Fountain Park pool is not an adequately large enough facility for the 1,000 people a day (Shaun Percival comment from Fountain Park, Gazette, Aug. 15) and so the overcrowding and proximity of bodies can and does cause some upset. However often Ms. Fulton et al want to tell people how they should feel and where they should go, will not alter the sensitivities of the older women – many of them have been coming to the pool year-round for more than 20 years.
As a result of this discussion, I have been researching on the internet how other people feel about changing room use and it is quite enlightening to realize that other people around the world experience similar difficulties with the use of changing rooms.
Maybe including the unisex change room is the answer as well as a family room and an area for men and women. Maybe in some future time, swimsuit manufacturers will not be in business as we will all be enlightened and swim naked in the pool, with the exception of small children, whose need to defecate, etc. could cause other problems.
In the meantime I also realize that another new pool is just a dream, another facility with changing rooms to suit the diverse needs of our population: even though the people of this city made it quite clear that they wanted one in the last plebiscite! Therefore I humbly submit that a little tolerance and understanding might be used in order to alleviate pain and suffering!
Elizabeth Allchin, St. Albert
