Peter Hemingway – AngelEye Installation
The Project
The Peter Hemingway Fitness & Leisure centre embodies unique, contemporary architecture. This eye-catching fitness centre from the Great North boasts multiple tennis courts, purpose-built sports fields and a full aquatic centre complemented with a 50 x 27-metre Olympic size swimming pool.
In 2015 the Canadian Lifesaving Society had carried out a Lifeguard Positioning Analysis and deemed the pool “un-lifeguardable” due to:
- Pool glare / Blind spots
- Lifeguard to bather ratio
- Lack of visibility
The above issues combined posed a serious safety risk to the pool as they could lead to a delay in lifeguard response, in a time where evert second matters.
Scope: Peter Hemingway Fitness & Leisure Centre reached out to SPSC UK after their pool was deemed ‘un-lifeguardable’. Our solutions provided increased visibility to support the lifeguard team, whilst maintaining the venues unique aesthetic.
Location: Edmonton, Canada
Our problem at the Peter Hemingway pool was that it was considered un-lifeguardable by the lifesaving society. There was no place on the pool deck, in lifeguard chairs or anywhere else where a lifeguard was able to see the bottom of the pool especially in the centre of the pool. The glare from the windows has been a challenge since 1978 and many other solutions have been tested. We hoped to be able to see the bottom of the pool and somehow get past the glare on the surface.
Our Solution
SPSC UK worked closely with the Canadian Lifesaving Society to create a bespoke solution to overcome the challenges faced by Peter Hemingway Leisure Centre.
Due to the vast size of the pool, and visibility issues resulting from architectural choices, SPSC Team were facing a challenge: achieving the necessary safety standards without compromising the architectural vision of the pool.
AngelEye Drowning Detection System was selected as the best solution to meet the safety and operation requirements. Due to the size and depth of the pool, several cameras were required to create a 360-degree view of the pool, in the end, 26 cameras were installed in the pool with 5 additional overhead cameras. The installation was undertaken in November 2018, taking into account the functional and aesthetic requirements of the build. SPSC UK delivered a non-invasive solution, providing lifeguards with complete visibility both above and below the pool.
Additionally, full training was provided on completion of the project surrounding the system and use of the required equipment, to ensure all members of staff were comfortable with the technology.
We have been working since 2013 to find a solution for our problems at Peter Hemingway. We believe we have a great system in place and are thankful to SPSC and AngelEye for helping us find and install this system. We are also thankful in them being patient as we worked out all of the issues we had in our first attempt at working with an international system. We feel confident we will be able to keep our system at the cutting edge of technology and look to install in our other Aquatic Venues in the future.
The Peter Hemingway Centre is just one of many examples of the venues SPSC had supported, we are delighted our solutions could transform the “un-lifeguardable” pool into a safe and secure swimming venue with 360 degree visibility.
At SPSC, we combine our 20 years of safety experience with cutting edge technology, to provide you with bespoke safety solutions for your venue.
