Parents demand fair treatment for otters – The Voice of the East

Families belonging to Les Loutres, a Granby-based swimming club, are calling for equitable access to local training facilities as they continue to face significant travel requirements. Since June 2025, the club has operated without official recognition from the City of Granby, a decision prompted by allegations against coaches Nadine Rolland and Frédérick Asselin. Despite a subsequent government report that cleared the coaches of wrongdoing, the city has maintained its stance and shifted its support to a new organization, Les Courants, La Voix de l’Est reported.

Training constraints for Les Loutres

The loss of municipal recognition has forced swimmers affiliated with Les Loutres to seek training time outside of Granby. During the previous season, parent Isabelle Chouinard reported driving more than 50,000 kilometers to ensure her children, Justine and Alex, could maintain their training schedules in cities including Montreal, Saint-Jean, Drummondville, and Sherbrooke. This season, the club has been granted limited access to the Centre aquatique Desjardins, restricted to three lanes for two mornings a week, between 6:15 a.m. and 7:35 a.m.

Elite swimmers from the club are restricted to the facility’s recreational pool, which lacks starting blocks necessary for competitive training. In contrast, Les Courants, now recognized by the city, receives 24 hours of pool time per week for its members. The financial and logistical burden on families remains high, with some parents reporting monthly fuel costs reaching $350 to facilitate their children’s participation in the sport.

Administrative dispute and municipal policy

The City of Granby invested $45,000 to establish Les Courants following the allegations against the former Loutres coaching staff. While the government report cleared the coaches, city officials have not reinstated recognition for the original club. Élizabeth Foisy-Gosselin, a board member for Les Loutres, stated that the ongoing situation is impacting the development of young athletes like her son, Nathan. We’ve often heard that this is a war between adults,” she said. “But since last year, it’s not the adults who are paying the biggest price, it’s the young people. Foisy-Gosselin said.

The parents argue that the city’s recent adoption of a youth policy, which aims to encourage physical activity and support local youth, appears inconsistent with the current treatment of Les Loutres swimmers. We want to encourage sports, we want to take care of our young people, we want them to be active. Honestly, I think we lack consistency here. Foisy-Gosselin noted.

City position on facility allocation

Geneviève Rheault, the municipal councillor responsible for sports, defended the city’s current allocation of resources. She emphasized that Les Courants holds priority for facility usage as a recognized club. I understand it’s not easy for parents, but families who have to spend hours on the road exist in all sports. Rheault said. She added that the municipality must manage its existing infrastructure and pool availability based on established priorities, which currently favor the recognized club.

I have nothing against the Courants, but my children’s family, as they themselves say, is the Loutres. Nadine and Frédérick are competent and certified coaches, and my children have constantly improved with them. Should we change clubs? Why?

Isabelle Chouinard