SwimAbilities at Trico Centre

At Trico Centre, we believe every child should have the opportunity to learn how to swim in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment, regardless of ability. That’s why we offer SwimAbilities®, a specialized program for children aged 3–16 with disabilities or additional support needs who may struggle in traditional swimming lessons. SwimAbilities helps children build water safety skills, confidence, and independence at their own pace.

This program is taught by Trico Centre instructors who complete specialized training to meet each child’s unique needs. These lessons help kids learn vital water safety skills, but they also build confidence, independence, and joy - skills that carry far beyond the pool.  For many families, this is one of the only programs where their child can feel truly comfortable, safe, and included in the water.

Trico Centre is one of only five facilities in Calgary offering SwimAbilities, and the only one serving the vast southern area between Glenmore Trail and Stoney Trail. With nearly 100,000 new residents moving to Calgary in the past year alone, access to recreational programs - especially inclusive ones - is more important than ever. As the city grows, so does demand - for both swimming lessons and inclusive recreation programs like SwimAbilities.

We are seeking funding to train more certified SwimAbilities instructors, which is essential to expanding our program and reaching more families. With more trained staff, we can reduce waitlists, offer more sessions year-round, and ensure more children with disabilities can participate in swimming - a life-saving skill and an important childhood experience.

The SwimAbilities program at Trico Centre is designed to directly benefit children and youth aged 3 to 16 with disabilities or additional support needs who are unable to participate in traditional swimming lessons. These children may experience physical, cognitive, or sensory challenges that require personalized instruction in a quieter, more adaptive environment. SwimAbilities offers exactly that - making swimming not just accessible, but empowering.

Trico Centre fills a critical gap in a growing region of the city. In fact, Calgary’s population has increased by approximately 18% in the five years leading up to early 2025, placing even greater demand on recreational services, especially inclusive ones. Because of the scarcity of these services, our swimming programs - particularly our more unique or capped ones such as SwimAbilities - our facility attracts visitors from all four quadrants of the city.

The impact of SwimAbilities extends far beyond the pool. For many families, this program is one of the few opportunities for their child to feel safe, capable, and included in a recreational setting. In 2023, one parent shared the following:

“SwimAbilities allowed my special needs son to learn in a way that makes sense for him. The instructor was able to adapt lessons to his needs, and having me in the water for 1:1 support was critical to his participation and success. I had very low expectations for what he would learn, but he's doing quite well with some of the skills.” - Dominika, May 2023

For over five decades, Trico Centre has delivered on its mission to enhance lives through healthy lifestyles and connection, with a vision of building an inclusive and active community. By expanding the delivery of our SwimAbilities program, we will continue to fulfill this mission for hundreds of children each year.