Greenhouse and memorial stone dedicated in Reykjavik to drowning victim as parents push for improved pool safety measures

A greenhouse and a memorial stone were dedicated today in Reykjavik to a man who tragically drowned in the Sundhöll Reykjavíkur public swimming pool in 2021. Instead of seeking compensation for their loss, the parents of the deceased are working with the city of Reykjavik to improve safety measures in swimming pools.

The man, Guðni Pétur Guðnason, passed away on January 21, 2021, at the Sundhöll Reykjavíkur. He worked in a residential care home on Flókagata for men with mental disorders and was with a patient at the time of his cardiac arrest in the pool. Guðni had been at the bottom of the pool for eight minutes before another swimmer noticed him and alerted a staff member.

The parents of Guðni Pétur have been advocating for better vigilance and safety in swimming pools since their son’s death. The initiative has resulted in 13 proposals for enhanced safety, all expected to be implemented by 2026. These proposals focus on improving lifeguard visibility, boosting education, and ensuring regular inspections of public swimming facilities.

Guðni’s father, Guðni Heiðar Guðnason, expressed his hope that their efforts could help spare other parents the pain they have experienced. Guðni Pétur’s parents also arranged for a memorial stone and a greenhouse to be built at his workplace, the Flókagata residential home. The greenhouse, formally inaugurated today, is already being used for cultivating plums, grapes, and tomatoes.

The memory of Guðni Pétur lives on in these improvements in pool safety and in the greenhouse, which serves as a testament to his love for cultivation and gardening.