Hearing Filed on Water Safety Awareness and Access to Swimming Lessons Due to a Spike in Drownings

Council President Ed Flynn and Councilor Kendra

Lara refiled a hearing order to discuss water safety awareness and increasing access to swimming lessons in the City of Boston.

This hearing order is a refile from last year, where Massachusetts saw a spike in the number of drownings, particularly in the month of May. Drowning is the leading cause of preventable, injuryrelated deaths in Massachusetts in

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Back in the day, the South Boston Lithuanian Club was the place to be. Today, with $1 million in renovations, the Club is hoping it will regain that status. The main hall on the fourth floor was revamped. A permanent bar replaced a portable bar and an amazing caterer’s kitchen was put in. This large hall, which can hold 200 people, has stunning wood floors, a cool industrial look, and great views of the city. It’s perfect for weddings, parties, corporate seminars, and more. There’s a smaller room off the main hall that’s a great fit for baby or bridal showers or possibly office rentals. The Club’s third floor hall which holds 275 people, has a bar and a fantastic stage for theater productions and bands. In all of its halls, the Club will set up tables and chairs in any configuration. The Kitchen, which is known for its pizzas, is also available for rent. There are 60 parking spaces available on West First Street for events.

To get more information or to rent a space at the South Boston Lith Club, contact manager Gint Subatis at 617-268-9058 or email sblca@Verizon.net.

children below the age of 15, and unfortunately, Black and lower income communities are more likely to be affected by drownings. A study from the University of Memphis found that 66% of Black children could not swim well enough to be safe in the deep end, and a report by USA Swimming found that 79% of children in families that earn less than $50,000 in annual income have little or no swimming ability.

“As a City surrounded by water, it is vital for our young people to have basic water safety awareness and to know how to swim.We must explore ways to partner with local and community organizations to provide swimming classes for our low-income residents and young people of color so that they can have the basic skills to be safe around water.” Council President Flynn said.

“Access, knowledge, and safety are all driving factors in pool usage. If we want to ensure all communities benefit from our city facilities, we must tackle the root causes behind the decline in usage. Increasing access to swim lessons and water safety awareness is one way to move the needle towards equity and truly democratize access to recreation.” District Six City Councilor Kendra Lara said.

Council President Flynn and Councilor Lara will hold this hearing in the coming weeks. For more information, please contact Council President Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 and Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov.