Replacing a Missing Plaque at Tommy Thompson Park Honouring Renowned Marathon Swimmer Vicki Keith - by Councillor Paula Fletcher, seconded by Councillor Paul Ainslie

The plaque, which named the location the "Vicki Keith Point" was especially meaningful as it was there that Keith launched her first Lake Ontario swim in 1986, and became the first swimmer ever to complete a two-way crossing of Lake Ontario a year later. In 1989, she was the first to use her famous butterfly stroke to cross the English Channel and Strait of Juan de Fuca, and also completed swims across the Catalina Channel in California and Lake Ontario using the stroke. The recipient of 41 awards and honours, Vicki Keith was a successful coach, with six of her athletes winning world records. She coached many disabled athletes of whom 24 competed at the national level and another four competed at the international level. Her dedication to children and athletes with disabilities and to the Variety Club motivated her to raise over one million Canadian dollars for worldwide charitable projects including the Variety Village Sunshine Pool. Sadly, plaque honouring Vicki Keith and her achievements was removed. Its absence is felt not only by residents and visitors who valued it as part of our shared waterfront heritage, but also by Ms. Keith herself, for whom the plaque carried personal meaning. The restoration of this plaque would reaffirm the City's commitment to celebrating those who inspire us and would ensure that Ms. Keith's legacy remains visible to future generations.