Echo Dale Swim Lake Closed Until Further Notice

Echo Dale Swim Lake, August 2025 - Photo by Owl News

City says staffing levels are too low to safely operate the swim lake

Medicine Hat - The swim lake at Echo Dale Regional Park will remain closed for now. The park itself reopens on Friday, June 19 at 7 a.m., but the swim lake will be drained and stay closed until further notice.

The City said they made this decision because there are not enough lifeguards to safely supervise the swim lake right now, that staffing levels are currently insufficient to safely run the site or manage restricted access. By keeping the swim lake closed, the City can focus its available aquatic staff on safely operating other pools in the city while maintaining proper supervision standards.

Other parts of Echo Dale Park will be reopened, including the farmstead, picnic areas, and walking trails. But the swim lake itself will be empty of water for the foreseeable future.

This is a decision that was made with heavy hearts. Everyone involved is still processing what happened. Those who were on duty that day will be carrying this with them for a long time. Now is a time for healing, not for pointing fingers.

A Nationwide Lifeguard Shortage

The staffing challenges facing Medicine Hat are not unique. Lifeguard shortages have been felt across Canada since the COVID-19 pandemic .

During the pandemic, training programs were disrupted and many lifeguards found other work because they could not get hours. Their certifications expired and they moved on to other careers . Reports have shown a decline of up to 30 to 40 per cent in the number of lifeguards compared to pre-pandemic times .

The shortage has been slow to recover. Even when certification numbers have bounced back, hiring remains a challenge, especially in smaller communities and seasonal positions.

In some places, the shortage has led to reduced pool hours or fewer supervised beaches . Medicine Hat is not alone in struggling to rebuild its aquatic workforce.

What This Means for Summer

The City has not said when the swim lake might reopen. For now, families looking to cool off this summer will need to use the Kinsmen Aquatic Park at the Big Marble Go Centre, Crestwood Pool, Strathcona Pool, or Hill Pool. Those facilities have reopened after being closed for two days to allow staff to access grief counselling and support.

The closure of the swim lake is a reminder of how important it is to have the right people and resources in place to keep our community safe. It also shows how quickly things can change when those resources are stretched thin. The shortage of lifeguards is a national problem, but its impact is felt locally.

The City has said it will share more updates as information becomes available.

For now, the swim lake at Echo Dale sits empty. A community sits with the weight of what happened.

A Bakery Exceeds All Expectations

McBrides Bakery sold doughnuts today as a fundraiser for the affected family.

They blasted past their previous record of $6500 in one day and collected at least $11,000 by 11am.

While they ran out of doughnuts hours ago, they were collecting donations until 6 pm.

🦉A Message of Sympathy and Support for Our Community 🦉

The entire team at OWL NEWS is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the young child involved in Monday’s incident at Echo Dale Regional Park. Our hearts are with the family, who are navigating an unimaginable loss. We also consider the child’s classmates, school staff, and all who knew and loved them.

Our thoughts are with the lifeguards, first responders, and park staff who were first on the scene. We see your profound dedication, and we recognize the heavy weight you carry after such a traumatic event. Your efforts and courage are a source of strength for our community.

In these difficult days, we hope all those affected, especially witnesses, find the space and support they need to heal. We encourage everyone in Medicine Hat to be kind to one another and to lean on the compassionate community we know we are.

As the city conducts its review, we ask for patience and respect for the privacy of the grieving family. Know that our community stands together, united in caring for each other.

With deepest condolences,

The OWL NEWS Team, Medicine Hat