The Rotary Club of Sarnia Charitable Foundation has made a significant $180,000 donation to the Pathways Health Centre for Children, fulfilling a long-term pledge to support the city’s only therapeutic pool
The Rotary Club of Sarnia Charitable Foundation has made a significant $180,000 donation to the Pathways Health Centre for Children, fulfilling a long-term pledge to support the city's only therapeutic pool.
The cheque was presented at the Pathways Annual General Meeting on June 24, 2025, by Rotary Club of Sarnia President Jamie Pole and Rotary Foundation President Mark Taylor. The donation represents the final three years of a 10-year, $600,000 pledge made in 2018 to support the "Save the Pathways Pool Campaign". That successful campaign raised a total of $1.6 million to completely refurbish Sarnia's only therapeutic pool.
Since renovations were completed in 2021, the pool has seen growing community use, with over 16,000 visits last year. The warm-water facility is used by Pathways clients as well as the general community for swim lessons, open swims, and exercise classes for adults and seniors. The pool’s operations do not receive any government funding and are sustained through user fees and grants.
"The Rotary Club of Sarnia has stood beside the mission of Pathways since our beginning – and once again has made known their commitment to supporting children in this community with special needs," said Alison Morrison, Pathways CEO. "We are so grateful to have received their 3 final years of pledge money all in 2025 our 50th anniversary year!".
The partnership between the two organizations is foundational; the Rotary Club of Sarnia was instrumental in the Centre's opening in 1975, having secured the land and leasing it to Pathways for $1 per year, an arrangement still in place today. The club also provided significant support when the therapeutic pool initially opened in 1987.
In recognition of the long-standing support, a sign has been installed naming the facility "The Rotary Club of Sarnia Aquatic Centre".
