Is there a competitive swim club in Almonte?

Not one that trains in Almonte. The Carleton Place Water Dragons are the nearest Swim Ontario club, and every practice is at the Carleton Place Aquatic Centre, about 11 minutes away. Almonte families register with us and drive to Carleton Place for practice.

How far is practice from Almonte?

About 12 km, or 11 minutes by car, from downtown Almonte to the pool at 359 Bridge Street in Carleton Place. County Road 29 takes you most of the way.

What age can my child start?

There is no fixed starting age. Junior 1, our learn-to-swim group, takes children who can get across the pool and want to learn all four strokes properly. Placement is by a short swim evaluation with the head coach, which the registrar arranges.

How do I register from Almonte?

Registration is online through our team site, the same for every town. If you are not sure which group fits, email the registrar first and we will book the evaluation before you commit to a session.

Our club's area

Swim Club for Almonte Families

If you live in Almonte or anywhere in Mississippi Mills, the Carleton Place Water Dragons are your nearest competitive swim club. Every practice takes place at the Carleton Place Aquatic Centre on Bridge Street. There is no pool time in Almonte itself, and we would rather say that plainly than let a family find out on the first evening.

The club is a Swim Ontario member run by volunteers, with a coaching staff led by a head coach who has taken a swimmer to the Olympic level. Groups run from a learn-to-swim stream for beginners through to a Senior Elite squad that trains fourteen hours a week, so a child who starts with us at seven has somewhere to go at seventeen.

What Almonte parents tend to notice first is the size of the groups. Swimmers are coached on their own strokes rather than counted through laps, and the first step for any new family is a short evaluation with the head coach, arranged through the registrar, so your child lands in the group that fits.

Getting to Almonte

From downtown Almonte to the Carleton Place Aquatic Centre is roughly 12 km, about 11 minutes by car at practice time. The usual route is County Road 29 (Almonte Street becoming Mississippi Mills Road) south into Carleton Place, then Bridge Street to the pool at number 359. Allow a few extra minutes in winter.

That makes evening practice realistic on a school night: most Almonte families leave home around 40 minutes before the start, including time to change. Weekday groups train in the late afternoon and evening, and the drive back is the same quiet road.

Practice schedule

Junior 1: 2× weekly, 45 min
Junior 2: 3× weekly
White: 4× weekly, 4.5 h
Blue: 4× weekly, 8 h
Senior: 4× weekly, 8 h
Senior Elite: 14 h weekly
Youth Conditioning: 3× weekly, 1 h
Masters: Up to 4× weekly

Times and pool lanes change by season. The practice calendar always has the current week. See the practice calendar.

Swim Levels

Junior 1 Our Learn to Swim group. It focuses on the fundamental skills of all four competitive strokes, as well as starts, turns and finishes.
Junior 2 For swimmers who have the skills and want to begin competing regularly. The emphasis is stroke improvement, with an introduction to Learning to Train.
White For swimmers ready to begin Learning to Train at a more advanced level. Stroke improvement stays the focus, with intermediate training techniques added.
Blue For swimmers who have demonstrated advanced stroke mechanics, training techniques and racing strategies. The group's focus is Learning to Compete.
Senior The Senior group is for swimmers wishing to train and compete at a high level but who are unable to train at the Senior Elite level of commitment.
Senior Elite Senior Elite is the most advanced group within the Water Dragons club. Swimmers are expected to attend all practices and compete at all meets designated for the group.
Youth Conditioning An opportunity for teenage swimmers to practise their skills and improve their conditioning. Intended for youth pursuing lifeguarding, triathlon or fitness.
Masters For adults 18 and over who wish to maintain fitness, improve stroke technique, compete at Masters competitions, or swim socially with other adults.

Notes for Almonte families

Almonte and the rest of Mississippi Mills are outside Carleton Place, so residents pay the Carleton Place Aquatic Centre's non-contributing-area rate for the town's own aquatic programs: public swims, lane swims, lessons and aquafit. The Municipality of Mississippi Mills runs an Aquatic Reimbursement Program that pays back the difference between the resident and non-resident fee for those programs at municipal pools in Carleton Place, Arnprior and West Ottawa. Keep the itemized receipt and proof of residency, and claim through the municipality's online form.

The program covers the pool's public programs, not Water Dragons club fees. It is still worth knowing for a swimmer who adds a public lane swim or lesson at the same pool between practices.

Questions from Almonte

Is there a competitive swim club in Almonte?: Not one that trains in Almonte. The Carleton Place Water Dragons are the nearest Swim Ontario club, and every practice is at the Carleton Place Aquatic Centre, about 11 minutes away. Almonte families register with us and drive to Carleton Place for practice.
How far is practice from Almonte?: About 12 km, or 11 minutes by car, from downtown Almonte to the pool at 359 Bridge Street in Carleton Place. County Road 29 takes you most of the way.
What age can my child start?: There is no fixed starting age. Junior 1, our learn-to-swim group, takes children who can get across the pool and want to learn all four strokes properly. Placement is by a short swim evaluation with the head coach, which the registrar arranges.
How do I register from Almonte?: Registration is online through our team site, the same for every town. If you are not sure which group fits, email the registrar first and we will book the evaluation before you commit to a session.