Townsville family left heartbroken after son loses chance to swim

A family has shared their heartbreak after losing the chance to put their toddler through swimming lessons as a new lessee takes over the Tobruk Memorial Baths. See why.

Maddy McGinnity and her partner have been forced to find alternative arrangements for son Bowie, who has cerebral palsy, private swimming lessons.

The mother of a toddler with cerebral palsy says her family is devastated they’ll no longer be able to afford swimming lessons after a new lessee took over the Tobruk Memorial Baths on The Strand.

It was announced by Townsville City Council that City Venue Management would be taking over at the pool in May following the retirement of pool stalwart Luc Senent this year.

But Maddy McGinnity said a change in policy for the new operators means her three-year-old son, Bowie Brockman, will no longer be able to access private swimming lessons with instructor Dawn Wills.

“My son cannot attend a standard, group lesson and he needs a private instructor with experience and expertise – Dawn came highly recommended to us,” she said

“Dawn is an amazing teacher, we never thought our son would be able to swim, the progress he has made with Dawn has been unimaginable and we are so thankful for her assistance.”

New policies mean instructors hired by the pool will be given first preference, leaving others effectively priced out.

Previously the family would pay Ms Wills directly, and would arrange with the pool to rent a lane to run lessons with them and other families in need.

Now, families will need to use the instructors employed by the lessee’s swim program and the private lessons run by the swim school are quoted at $85 per lesson.

“It’s $85 per lesson, for a private lesson at the pool now,” she said.

“They’ve came back to me in correspondence and said they would subsidise it to $47.50 for children with disabilities which is still $300 a year more than we’re paying now.”

Maddy McGinnity and her partner have been forced to find alternative arrangements for son Bowie, who has cerebral palsy, private swimming lessons.

Ms McGinnity said she wasn’t sure what the arrangement would be once the family paid the money to the pool.

“I don’t know what the arrangement would be, like how much out of that she (Dawn) would be receiving,” she said.

“So from the pool’s perspective or the new lessees perspective, we can still do lessons there but Dawn said she wouldn’t pass on that cost to families, which we’re appreciative of.”

“But it means we need to go somewhere else if she’s able to find another pool.”

Ms McGinnity said being able to be in an environment such as the one at the Tobruk Memorial Baths and seeing the other kids doing lessons.

“We just feel really heartbroken. It’s so important to us, particularly to us living in North Queensland, that Bowie’s able to do lessons to us, it’s a key life skill to learn,” Ms McGinnity said.

“He does so many appointments a week, physio, OT, all the different therapies, and these we’ve been able to make a really fun and vibrant experience for him and make a family morning of it.”

Townsville City Council and City Venue Management were contacted for comment.

Originally published as Townsville family left heartbroken after son loses chance to swim