James Gilmour “Jimmy” Thompson

James Gilmour “Jimmy” Thompson. . If ever a man deserved to have his name over the door of a city facility, it is Jimmy Thompson. This historic pool is named after the man who taught more than 60,000 Hamilton children how to swim., Jimmy Thompson competed on the Canadian swim team in the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. In 1930 he swam for Canada at this then-new pool, when Hamilton hosted the British Empire Games. He and his freestyle relay team won gold. Two years later, the city wisely hired Jimmy to develop and run its aquatic program. Jimmy was a small, wiry man with a big voice and a bigger heart. He was in the water here most of his working life - more than three decades. He didn't just teach children how to swim. Along with animated instructions to "kick those feet, move those arms," Jimmy instructed his kids in lifesaving, water polo, diving, self-reliance and respect for family, city and country., He was the first coach of the Hamilton Aquatic Club, which under his leadership went on to win 92 national and 205 provincial swimming titles. Jimmy was proud of this pool and looked after it like a new car. He made sure it was scrubbed every day with hard bristle brushes. "The water in the pool is actually purer than the city's drinking water," he declared., Jimmy died in 1966, age 59. Five years later Hamilton changed the name of the municipal pool to honour the man best known as Hamilton's 'Mr. Swimming'.