New sliding doors for Carbonear pool is no automatic decision

By Olivia Bradbury / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Carbonear council has approved the money to make it easier to get in and out the front door at the swimming pool.
Recreation committee chairman Malcolm Seymour made the motion to approve the expenditure at council’s March 11 meeting.
“What we’re doing is, we’re making the swimming pool more accessible,” said Seymour. “This is going to be automatic doors. When people come up to the door, the door would open.”
Seymour said that will make it easier for people who use walkers, wheelchairs, or have limited mobility.
Councillor Danielle Doyle expressed concern about the new doors opening automatically.
“That swimming pool is on a very busy road,” she said, “and we have a lot of really small kids who utilize the swimming pool.”
She worried the automatic doors will increase the risk of young children running out into the parking lot or onto the road.
“I understand the accessibility aspect of it, but you don’t see these sliding doors at schools, for example, because of the safety aspect,” she said.
Councillor Ray Noel asked Doyle how automatic sliding doors would be any less safe than those which open automatically with a button press. At present, the Carbonear pool’s front doors can be opened by pressing a button.
Councillor Chris O’Grady agreed, remarking that earlier that same day, he and his two-year-old granddaughter had been at the library on the second floor of the Conception Bay Regional Community Centre. “She came down the stairs and she went right up and pushed the button, and the door opened and out she went,” he said.
Doyle acknowledged that children can hit the button easily, but argued automatic sliding doors will open for children without requiring action.
Seymour pointed out the swimming pool entrance has two sets of doors leading into the building: an outer set that leads into the porch, and an inner set that leads into the lobby. Only the outer set of doors will be replaced with automatic sliding doors; the inner set will still require a button press to open automatically. Replacing the outer doors with automatic sliding ones will allow visitors to the pool to get out of the elements more quickly, he said.
Seymour said he understands Doyle’s concern for young children, but argued it would be a risk in either case. “A sliding door is no different than a touch button door or a panic handle on a door. Somewhere it’s got to open,” Seymour said.
The councillor added that as a grandfather, he also does not want to see children endangered or hurt. But the automatic doors will be beneficial, he said.
“I think by having this accessibility now with a sliding door on the outside, it gives people a chance to get in out of the weather a little bit easier,” said Seymour.
Doyle was more open to the installation given the situation with the set of inner doors. “That gives you that safeguard that they have to get through two sets in order to get out,” she said. Deputy Mayor Sam Slade suggested that, for the sake of safety, council could inform parents about the new doors being installed.