SCARBOROUGH MIRROR | Thursday, May 23, 2013 |
16
community
Police, Emily Carr students in the same boat ANDREW PALAMARCHUK apalamarchuk@insidetoronto.com
Police from 42 Division and students from a Scarborough school are in the same boat. Literally. The police officers and kids are taking part in a sixweek boating course at the Bayside Rowing Club on Commissioners Street. T h e p ro g ra m , w h i c h launched last week aims to break down barriers and create friendships. Twenty students from Emily Carr Public School, on John Tabor Trail, are taking part. “It just gives the police a positive opportunity to be able to interact with young people in an environment that is definitely unusual and unique,” said Const. Jaime Knox of the 42 Division community response unit. “So it’s different and cool for the kids and for us... Hopefully, we’ll get to build a relationship with the kids.”
“
It just gives the police a positive opportunity to be able to interact with young people in the environment that is definitely unusual and unique. – Const. Jamie Knox
Grade 5 student Princy Samuel said rowing was fun and challenging. “It took a lot of effort and teamwork,” she added. The course runs every Tuesday for six weeks. “(I’ve) never been boating before. This was my first time,” Princy said. “I would love to do this again.” Dominic Kahn, head coach at Bayside, said the club was formed 20 years ago to expose inner city youth to rowing. “It’ll challenge those kids, and I think in the long term it’ll change our city.”
Staff photos/ANDREW PALAMARCHUK
Above and at right, Emily Carr Public School students learn how to row at the Bayside Rowing Club recently. The police officers and kids are taking part in a six-week boating course at the Bayside Rowing Club on Commissioners Street. The program aims to break down barriers and create friendships.