A long-standing community event at a downtown Toronto swimming pool is being blasted by animal rights activists.
A petition has surfaced online calling for the cancellation of Scadding Court Community Centre’s Gone Fishin’ event which will transform their swimming pool into a pond full of rainbow trout.
The author of the change.org petition, which has a little over 100 signatures, calls the event a “cruel” activity that takes fish out of their natural habitat and “exposes them to fear.” The petition also calls on Ward 20 Coun. Joe Cressy to take action and scrap the event altogether.
According to the Scadding Court Community Centre’s website, the widely popular annual event, which has been running for more than a decade, will be held from June 13 to June 20 this year and offers children a chance to learn more about fishing.
“This is an excellent chance to not only learn how to fish, but also learn about ecology, the environment, nutrition and where food comes from,” the event page reads.
“This unique event addresses issues of health and wellness, food access and security and presents an innovative alternative use for public swimming pools as community resources.”
But the author of the petition contends that there are other ways for children to learn about fish.
“There are many ways that children can learn about animals and nature. If the Scadding Court Community Centre is so concerned about teaching ecology, an alternative would be to fund field trips into the great outdoors, or educate children about the wonders of fish in their own environment, not in a swimming pool,” the statement reads.
Coun. Joe Cressy did not respond to requests for comment.
The Scadding Court Community Centre's executive director Kevin Lee told CP24.com that this is not the first time the centre has taken heat over the event.
"I personally welcome those comments and how people feel... However, this program has been going on for 13 years and it has gathered a lot of momentum and support from the people in the local community as well as from families across the GTA," Lee said.
"They find it a very fun, family-oriented, educational time for their family to come together."
While Lee admits it would be ideal to take people fishing in the great outdoors, he said the community centre simply does not have the budget for it.
With the help of volunteers, Lee said Scadding Court is able to break even at the end of it all.
He said the program is designed to introduce people in the inner city to fishing and some of the families who attend the event do not have the means to leave Toronto to take a fishing trip.
"People have their democratic right to express their values and their philosophy," he said of the petition.
"But to expect us to cancel the entire program after 13 years, then how do I respond to those thousands of families that look forward to it every year."
