Photo by Whitehorse Star
SUBJECT OF COURT ACTION – Adrian Robinson is seen at the Ryan Downing Swim Meet in November 2015.
Family’s lawyer hopes for ‘amicable’ resolution
The local swim club has filed a suit in small claims court against a family who the club insists failed to pay its full fees and live up to its volunteer commitments.
The local swim club has filed a suit in small claims court against a family who the club insists failed to pay its full fees and live up to its volunteer commitments.
The claim for $4,897 was filed Dec. 29. That was just days before the family of Adrian and Riana Robinson was scheduled to leave town and move to Botswana.
The Robinsons have responded, and have denied the claim.
Whitehorse lawyer Graham Lang has been retained to represent the family.
“We are working with the swim club right now to resolve the issue,” Lang said in an interview this morning.
“We are hoping this does not move forward any further, and we are hoping we can resolve the matter amicably. It’s just unfortunate.”
The Robinsons’ son, Adrian, is described as an elite swimmer. As such, the fees are higher and the volunteer commitments are greater.
The Glacier Bear Swim Club notes that once a swimmer is signed on, the commitments remain regardless of whether the swimmer stops swimming. That’s because the swim club books its schedule at the pool according to the number of swimmers who have signed up.
Families, the club insists, are made aware of the level of commitment they’re making when they sign up their kids in September.
The claim includes:
• $2,100 for seven bingos not worked at $300 per bingo;
• $1,800 for 45 volunteer hours not fulfilled at $40 per hour;
• $747.50 for fees outstanding; and
• $250 for not paying for the officiating course they signed up to.
As one of the elite swimmers, the claim notes, Adrian is given increased access to the club’s head coach, and is granted more time in the pool.
The claim also emphasizes the family was aware of the requirement to fulfill its responsibilities to the swim club, as Adrian has been swimming with the club for the past six years.
And while the Robinsons did not respond to inquiries before Christmas, they were aware of swim club’s concerns and the decision to suspend Adrian on Dec. 16.
The club knew the family was aware because after the suspension, Adrian would show up at the pool wearing a Canada Games Centre bracelet indicating he’d paid the daily admission fee.
While he would not swim in the lanes designated for the swim club, he did swim beside them, the court documents indicate.
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Comments (8)
Up 29 Down 1
President of Whitehorse Glacier Bears on Jan 20, 2017 at 9:51 pm
It was our intention to respect the family's privacy and to quietly conclude our claim without making it public. It was with deep thought and heavy hearts that the board decided that it was in the best interest of our members to bring a complaint against the family. Many factors went into the decision and most are in the details of the claim.
We filed in small claims court on December 29. The family was served the same day. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the claim became public when the Yukon News broke the story on January 13. The claim documents are public once filed and the News decided the claim was newsworthy. On January 13 the family's lawyer filed a response to the claim. We came to terms with the lawyer on January 19 and this matter is now closed. Katrina, the claim is public and if you're interested in getting the full story please send an e-mail to the Whitehorse Glacier Bears and I'll send the claim in its entirety to you.
Up 5 Down 6
CJ on Jan 20, 2017 at 6:26 pm
@June, how much would you pay someone to work a bingo night? What about taking tickets at the door? Bagging groceries? Setting up chairs, cleaning up...would you pay $40/hr? Then you must be paying benefits, pension, workers' compensation, and good for you. But in a town that complains if someone suggests raising the minimum wage, the living wage is $19 or so an hour, and skilled labour might get $25 + -- the labour cost they've itemized here is interesting.
As for facility rentals and so on, I imagine there's some kind of grants available, there's only so much you can do in the way of bake sales. Sure, volunteers should come through, but taking it this far, with a teenager at the centre -- seems, I don't know, odd.
Up 11 Down 4
J Fraser on Jan 20, 2017 at 3:48 pm
I'm more than alarmed that this story continues to mention the two children by first names, but the parents are simply called "The Robinsons".
Up 19 Down 1
as a coach and volunteer... on Jan 20, 2017 at 2:31 pm
Good on the Glacier Bears should not have gone public. I volunteer and I coach in the community. I am sick and tired of people who take, take, take from those who give, give, give. Question: Why do they do bingos? Answer: So it is affordable for the families! Then you get this entitled family not paying their share!! I would simply bill families up front, $10,000 or whatever it costs without fundraising. Incentive to fundraise is that you can get your money back (or half of the $10,000) that you paid up front. (Can't afford the fees? Then don't screw around the people who set up fundraising so that you can afford the fees!) I also cut breaks for people all of the time, make things cheaper, free, go on trips that I as a coach pay for...and...nobody appreciates it. People can't even send an email to say that their kids won't attend training. Smarten up Whitehorse! If your kids are in a club, paid coach and fundraising, respect the coach, do the fundraising and stop thinking that you entitled to an elite sport program for nothing. See the bills they pay down south for ice and pool time and get over yourselves. Good riddance to this family for running away from their unpaid bill. The only caveat is that under international licences for sport, they may have to pay before their son swims there. Let's hope they do have to pay the fees they have increased for all of the other swimmers.
Up 18 Down 36
Katrina on Jan 19, 2017 at 8:48 pm
This is not news. These matters need to be settled in private, not in the newspaper. Badly done Glacier Bears. Not classy at all. If anything you have exposed to the public the incredible fundraising burden you put on families of senior swimmers, which does not encourage parents to put their children in the club. Our daughter had many great years as a Glacier Bear and it saddens me to see the club leadership airing its dispute with the Robinsons in the newspaper. I don't think this is going to be of benefit to the club in the long run, whether it gets the money or not.
Up 37 Down 3
June Jackson on Jan 19, 2017 at 4:07 pm
The Robinson's are not going to pay, they are going home to Botswana (Africa).
As for the Glacier Bears.. it is expensive to rent swim lanes, get qualified instructors and coaches, keep everyone safe etc. People know the cost when they sign up. I can't agree to any bill and then change my mind after I used the service.. We incur an obligation to pay every time we provide a service. The Robinson lad used the facility and used the expertise of club instructors. They should pay for it as they said they would do.
Mr. CJ: People always have a choice before they sign on the dotted line... If folks think the fee's are too high, then don't use it.
To the Glacier Bears.. even if you get the judgement, it doesn't mean the Robinson's will pay you. They will be in Africa, you will be here, how are you going to collect?
Up 13 Down 19
CJ on Jan 18, 2017 at 8:07 pm
Seems like the goodwill it will cost the club could cost more in the long run. I find the cost attached to volunteer hours odd. I suppose there's some rationale, but without those hours, they're talking about less than $1,000 in fees. It's strange.
Up 49 Down 5
Hugh Mungus on Jan 18, 2017 at 7:59 pm
The fact that the family hired a lawyer means the solution will not be amicable. The amicable solution would be for the family to pay the $4,897 to Glacier Bears and not Lang. It's his fellow swimmers that will have to pick up the slack for the family's decision not to pay.