Fishing at Parkdale pool

A 28-year fishing tradition carries on in Hamilton this week. And while the anglers may not be casting off in what most would consider the great outdoors — for the developmentally challenged who are invited to the derby — a makeshift lake in an outdoor swimming pool is close enough for them. And it’s also more than enough fun.

The fish may be biting, but the smiles are really catching.

“This is where we get our karma load for the year.”

They call Jim Ohoski the worm man; he’s often busy baiting the lines. He’s come back to help 15 years in a row: “We had a little fella here, kept saying it’s his destiny to catch a fish. His destiny. And the bus was here and he was flipping out, didn’t want to go, and one of the volunteers stuck a fish in his hand. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place. All these hardened fisherman, eh?”

Bert Lopinski: “I’ve been retired 28 years and ever since I’ve been working with Denny Leeson.”

The urban fishing project is now a tribute to Denny Leeson, since its founder died last year. He was a Stelco bricklayer who loved fishing, and his daughter Donna, who has down’s syndrome. Donna and her father fished together.

Donna Leeson: “Like butter, different. Spices, cooked them in the BBQ. Taste good? Yup.”

Four hundred people will visit the stocked pool this week, and eat hot dogs for lunch. Supplied and organized by the rotary club.

The City of Hamilton can also take some credit for this event, that’s who donates the pool and the chairs, and gets the pool ready for human swimmers again afterwards. Over the years, there have been some fish that have suffered from leaks in the pool and chlorine poisoning, but so far I’m told no one has ever fallen in. Just in case though, the city has lifeguards on duty.”

Sandy Marincic of the AM Rotary Club: “I don’t fish at all. All I can say is they have a whale of a time.”