Children's Wish Foundation helps Upper Tantallon girl get pool

A 10-year-old girl in Upper Tantallon had her wish come true on Tuesday.

Brooklyn Launt's brand new backyard pool officially opened Tuesday morning. It would be an exciting time for any kid, but for Brooklyn, who lives with cerebral palsy, the pool opening means more than just splashing around with friends.

"Today is freedom," said her mom Heather Launt. "Just the movement in the water. She's doing what everybody else is doing in the water. Free and able to move her limbs. You know normally she's in her chair or she gets a little bit of free time on the floor."

Brooklyn's pool is a wish granted through the Children's Wish Foundation. Launt told her neighbour Yarrow Gillis, Brooklyn always feels wonderful in a pool. So Gillis nominated the family.

"It feels amazing. It feels fantastic. It feels great. I don't want to talk about it too much or it makes me cry too," said Gillis.

"It feels fantastic to see the pool there. To know that she's going to be able to enjoy the pool all summer long. And that her mom and her family can enjoy it too. And to know that their quality of life improves as well."

The pool comes with a special step to make it easier for Brooklyn to get in the water. She has been in the pool twice already, but she does not want to leave.

"In the pool for hours at a time. Not wanting to come out. She's very excited. Just to have all of her friends. Her friends were in it with her the other day," said Launt.

Construction started under a month ago but the project has been in the works for awhile.

"We've been working on this for a little over a year," said wish coordinator Jacob Rafuse. "Only because we can't do anything over the winter months. And we had such a wonderful spring so it kind of delayed. But Levy pools was really great and bumped us up the list."

There's one more part of the wish to be granted. Levy Pools is donating a heater to extend the season.