The city of Saguenay has decided to abandon mixed or family changing rooms at the Foyer des Loisirs swimming pool in Arvida, although they could be used regardless of gender during the pandemic.
“Simply because the locker rooms have regained capacity and it is no longer necessary,” explained Saguenay city spokesman Dominic Arseneau.
The health measures and the two-meter distance had led to two observations from the city regarding this swimming pool. So there were more mothers than fathers who accompanied their child to free swimming or to swimming lessons, which made the women something special. The space was too small.
The two rooms had therefore become family-friendly; nudity was not tolerated in the open areas. “The parent accompanying their child was able to enter either locker room to change in a cubicle and we never had a problem,” Mr. Arseneau said.
“At the same time, you have to trust your parents’ judgment. It’s the same principle as in the mall or at an airport, bus or train station when a parent goes to the toilet with their child. There was no problematic situation.”
Saguenay only operates one indoor swimming pool, that of the Foyer des Loisirs. On the other hand, she rented out lessons at the Cégep de Chicoutimi and at the Grandes-Marées high school in La Baie… where the women and men each had their own dressing room.
“People came and noticed that the situation was different than in the Foyer des Loisirs, but there was no problem here either,” Mr. Arseneau said.
“Now the politics will be the same everywhere.”
Saguenay has adopted a practice in the event that a non-binary or transgender person shows up for open swimming. “The question is not if, but when,” the spokesman made clear.
“This person would likely be changing in the lifeguard’s locker room in complete privacy.”
Almost all of the newly built indoor swimming pools have three changing rooms: one for women, one for men and another for the family.