COMMUNITY

Poolside i-Pads power their proprietary swimmer-evaluations allowing instructors to constantly monitor and update a swimmer’s progress, which is connected to an App so families can monitor that real time progress. Pictured above are instructors Jonah Finucan, Madelynne Gruenwald and Ethan Firth. To the right is Isla working on proper form with instructor Daria.

It was during the early pandemic months that Jessica and Julia attended a conference in Arizona hosted by the USA Swim School They networked with industry leaders, were introduced to the Canadian Swim School Alliance, investigated various program modules, and had some productive conversations that led to a lifechanging decision to take a dive into the unknown and invest in a privately-owned, indoor facility. It was a big decision for Jessica and Julia, who were both emersed in fulltime post secondary school programs at the time. Their pact to shift gears and make Brave Waves their fulltime focus and primary careers was just the beginning of a huge commitment that was wholeheartedly supported by their family Their grandparents Ann Apostoli and Gary and Sandy Surette, and their parents

Craig Surette and Nita Apostoli Surette, as well as countless other relatives and close friends, invested in the idea both financially and emotionally With everyone on board, it was time to take the next step and find that forever home.

The Surettes signed an ironclad longterm lease with Vicano Construction Ltd, sealing the deal for the facility’s new home in the Arlington Commons Plaza off Rest Acres Road. They liked the space and the proximity to the highway, making it an easy commute for out-of-town cliental They assembled the project dream team consisting of Paulsan Construction, Acapulco Pools and Alex Rebanks Architects, and set about the overwhelming task of finetuning every detail and bringing their vision to life over the course of about 12 months. Overall, the project hummed along according to plan, but not without a little concern and some scary moments as they grasped the reality and magnitude of a project this size It was beyond anything they’d ever tackled before but at the same time it brought the close-knit family even closer together as they rallied behind their passionate commitment to water safety.

Contractors on the project team, representing a multitude of trades, bonded throughout the construction period. So much so, today their kids reap the benefits of their hard work, learning to swim in the pool their parents helped build and that, said Craig, is very neat and indictive of the project coming full circle. With a larger facility and a mounting necessity for swim lessons in the community, Brave Waves Swim School is growing to meet the community need.

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