Tuesday, February 09, 2021

Aquatics, life, and that friendly glow

Welcoming to all
London, ON
January 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram


We live within easy walking distance of a showpiece example of public architecture.

The futuristic, metal-and-glass-clad Canada Games Aquatic Centre looms above the neighborhood, casting a glow over all manner of kids - from the ones who simply want to learn to swim, all the way to those who train to become Olympians - who trek through darkened winter mornings to get there.

I snagged this image at 6:34 a.m. on a snowy Sunday last January, from a parking lot bustling with parents shuttling their kids to early-morning practice. It reminded me of my own childhood, trekking out to another pool, figuring my own way through the darkness.

Swimming was good to me, offering up a rewarding part-time job as a lifeguard through high school and university, and a foundation that set me up nicely for all that came afterward.

It's comforting to live in a community that recognizes how important facilities like this can be to the futures of those who use them.

The CGAC is now closed for obvious reasons, but those lights still shine like a beacon, ready for the day when those who rely on this place - to keep their heads above water, to work through school, to chase a dream - can return once more.

Because we all need beacons. We all need places like this.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #throwback #random #urban #street #monochrome #streetphotography #photography #building #architecture #cgac #aquatics #swimming #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #google #pixel2 #teampixel #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

No comments: