By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
The Town of Essex’s Community Services Recreation and Culture Division fared well in the 2024 Lifesaving Society Affiliate Recognition Award – Ontario Branch program.
Cynthia Cakebread, Manager of Recreation and Culture, told Essex Council at the June 2 meeting that the Town of Essex program was recognized in the top ten of each of the categories that it qualified under.
That included earning first place in the R. Bredin Staples Cup, which is awarded to the municipal affiliate with the largest leadership training program per capita, and second place in the Scarborough Cup, which is awarded to the municipal affiliate with the largest lifesaving/leadership program in a community with a population between 10,000 and 50,000.
In addition, Essex earned fifth place in the Arnold H. Morphy Cup, awarded to the affiliate with a single facility with the largest lifesaving/leadership program, and sixth place in the John E. McCutcheon Bowl, awarded to the single-facility affiliate with the largest first aid program.
Essex, Cakebread explained, is around the 84th largest municipality in Ontario, but is in the top forty of all providers of the Lifesaving Society in the province.
“We are one-ninth the size of Windsor, but we run a program approximately half the size. We run a larger program than 15 municipalities that were bigger than us,” Cakebread added. This year, Essex lost the Scarborough Cup, but the municipality that won it, Whitchurch-Stouffville, is 136 residents from moving up into the next category.
There are three municipalities in Essex County that appear in the top 10 for the Scarborough Cup, she added. “There is no other area in Ontario with more than one municipality,” she said.
“It is always surprising when we win these awards, given our size,” Cakebread said. Essex was also recognized through the Lifesaving Society’s annual report for having hosted the Ontario Lifeguard Championships in February.
Cakebread also pointed out that Essex’s Assistant Manager of Aquatics, Sarah Newton, was a big contributor to a lunch and learn webinar session on staffing retention and development. She was also recognized for going down to Ghana to host service provisions and provide certification to its residents. She will return to spearhead another round of certifications in the future.
Councillor Rodney Hammond noted Cakebread and her crew over at the recreation centre do an amazing job, and thanked them for their efforts. Councillor Kim Verbeek also thanked the team for its work.
Mayor Sherry Bondy always hears accolades regarding the Town’s programing, and encourages everyone to keep up the great work.
Essex Council received Recreation and Culture’s report titled “Lifesaving Society Affiliate Recognition” and further received the Lifesaving Society Annual Report Affiliate Recognition 2024 for Council and public information.
In addition, Council proclaimed June is Recreation and Parks Month in the Town of Essex, as recreation enhances quality of life, balanced living, and lifelong learning.
There are a number of free programs available through the month as part of June is Recreation and Parks Month of which residents can take advantage.
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