Anonymous (72.244.206.x) 02 Oct 2008 20:02
Have you ever wondered why there isn’t an public, outdoor pool on the east side of Seattle, or why our indoor pools can’t be open 7 days a week, or why no Seattle pool has a graduated entry ramp for easy wheelchair access? The members of Project Seattle Pools have. For the past year, this city-wide, grassroots organization has been reaching out to Parks Department Staff, the Mayor’s Office, City Council and pool users from all over the city to craft a Comprehensive Aquatics Plan (CAP). If funded in the City’s 2008 Budget, the CAP will answer fundamental questions such as: How should the City fund long-term maintenance of pool facilities? Which current facilities need renovation and how much will those renovations cost? What should new facilities look like and where should they be located? What programs are required to meet the needs of Seattle’s citizens? And how should all of these needs be prioritized? Community input gathered from a series of public meetings would contribute to the final CAP recommendations.
The cost of the study is an estimated $225,000 and Councilmember Tom Rasmussen is gathering support among his colleagues in order to include this request in the 2008 budget. These are tough economics times, as everyone knows, but this request is very small considering the size of the entire budget. Timeliness of the study results is key if pools are to be addressed in any future capital funding opportunity for Parks.
Please visit www.seattlepools.org for more information about the study, the organization, or to find out how you can get involved.