Free public swims and a Swim to Survive event, plus water safety education displays
Township of King, Ont. (June 18, 2025) — Over 400 Canadians die in preventable water-related incidents each year. From July 20-26 King Township joins the Ontario Lifesaving Society to recognize National Drowning Prevention Week (NDPW). NDPW is an annual initiative coordinated by the Lifesaving Society (LSS) to raise awareness of the drowning problem in Canada and occurs in mid-July, when Canada’s drowning rate is at its highest.
The 2025 theme “Safer Together” refers to the importance of working together to stay safe in or around water. “Safer Together” focuses on preventing some of the most commons causes of water fatalities by emphasizing three key water safety messages:
- Parents staying within arm’s reach of young children while in the water.
- Swimming where lifeguards are.
- Not swimming or boating alone.
During NDPW, residents are invited to participate in a series of free, water smart events at Zancor Centre, located at 1600 15th Sideroad in King City. Choose from:
Free Public Swim & Lifejacket Fitting
Tuesday, Jul. 22 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Learn how to tell if a lifejacket is too big or too small. A lifejacket or personal floatation device (PFD) can keep you afloat in an emergency, even if knocked unconscious. Wearing the correct size ensures mobility and safety. King’s lifeguards will be on deck to provide tips and tricks on how to size a lifejacket properly and determine if it is safe to use (e.g., the condition it’s in and looking for rips or missing buckles).
Friday, Jul. 25 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Held on World Drowning Prevention Day, this family event will feature a Swim to Survive test where King’s lifeguards will teach you how to survive an unexpected fall into deep water. It focuses on three core skills: rolling into deep water, treading water for one minute, and swimming 50 metres. Children attending under the age of 10 will need to be accompanied by a parent in the water. Limited spots available. Click here to pre-register.
Free Public Swim
Friday, Jul. 25 from 2:45 to 4:15 p.m.
World Drowning Prevention Day
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes July 25 as World Drowning Prevention Day, a global advocacy event focused on reducing the drowning rate globally. Since 2000, the global drowning rate has decreased by 38 per cent, but each year over 300,000 people still die from drowning worldwide.
Water Smart® Contest & Displays
Water smart information displays will be set up at the Zancor Centre and the King City library branch, located at 1970 King Road. The displays will feature literature on drowning prevention, as well as kid-friendly materials including stickers and colouring pages for the annual LSS Water Smart® Contest. This year’s contest theme is Lifejackets. Choose it. Use it. There are three age categories:
Lifejacket colouring contest for ages 5 and under: Colour the child and adult lifejackets in bright colours. Drop off your child’s completed submission to the Zancor Centre no later than July 26. The winner will be selected by King’s aquatic team and announced on the Township’s social media channels following NDPW. Prize: the book S for Swim and a King Township swag bag.
Lifejacket sticker design for ages 6 to 10: Design a sticker featuring a lifejacket or personal flotation device.
Lifejacket poster design for ages 11 to 15: Design a poster featuring the safe and correct usage of a lifejacket or personal flotation device.
Drop off your child’s completed submission for either the sticker or poster design to the Zancor Centre or King City library branch by August 3.
King’s aquatic team will select a winning design in each category and submit to the Lifesaving Society. The Society evaluates all submissions and chooses one provincial winner. Finalists will be announced on April 30, 2026. The provincial winner will receive a Lifesaving Society Prize Pack that includes: a Swim to Survive towel, t-shirt and two silicone bracelets, Buddy stickers, a rubber duck, and a Lifesaving Society luggage tag.
Swim lessons and aquatic leadership courses
Get ready for fun in (or by) the water: save your spot in a summer swim lesson session, with daily, bi-weekly and weekly options available at Zancor Centre. The facility’s Aqua Tech Solutions Aquatic Centre offers learn-to-swim lessons for all ages, based on the Ontario Lifesaving Society’s Swim for Life program, which features programming for parent & tots, preschoolers, children and adults, as well as private lessons for children ages three and above, or until Swimmer 6.
Aquatic leadership programs training youth for employment as a swim instructor or lifeguard are also available. Get first aid certified or start lifeguard training (then come work with us because we’re hiring!). View schedules and register online at king.ca/aquatics.
Learn more about NDPW
According to the LSS 2024 edition of the Ontario Drowning Report, 97 per cent of water-related incidents in children under five occurred under absent or distracted supervision. Only one per cent of drownings occurred in a lifeguard supervised setting and 32 per cent of swimming incidents occurred when the person went into the water alone. The easiest and quickest way to prevent these incidents is to always swim with supervision, no matter your age or skill level.
For more information, visit lifesavingsociety.com.
To receive updates on King Township news, follow the official corporate social media channels on X and Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to the King eNewsletter or visit king.ca.
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Media Contact
Township of King
Rebecca Streef, Communications Intern
Township of King | Phone: 905-833-5321 | Email: media@king.ca