HomeMy WebLinkAbout112023 email in favor of a new pool in Jefferson CountyALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
In support of a community pool.
I am a doctor of physical therapy and Port Townsend city planning commissioner. I believe an indoor pool for this community is needed and would provide many benefits. I will details
these below.
1. Pools are fun. We all saw how passionately members of the golf community defended the golf course, and it makes sense. They have fun playing golf together. Pools are another place
- especially indoors - where people can meet up and do activities together that are enjoyable. Fun, enjoyment, pleasure — these are essential elements to human health and a thriving
community. It is particularly powerful to have fun and play while moving our bodies near and with other humans. A community pool would be a place for members of the community with
a wide range of physical abilities and social networks to come together — you can go to the pool and happen upon others without needing to know them beforehand. It’s a community builder.
1. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/02/04/1150518287/fun-play-happiness-stress-reduction
2. https://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2016/summer/neuroscience-of-fun/
2. Everyone deserves to learn to swim. Especially here on the peninsula with water all around, swimming is an essential skill. Our current pool does not allow for adequate access by
all members of the community (ie no swimming lessons). According to the CDC, drowning is a leading cause of death for children ages 1-4, and this is particularly true for families where
the parents have not learned to swim. We should be teaching our children, and any community member who wants to learn, to swim.
1. https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/data/index.html
2. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/health/children-drowning-deaths.html
3. Loneliness is an epidemic with negative impacts on our personal and community health. Our community needs more places where people can show up and be together spontaneously. According
the the Department of Health and Human Services advisory report on loneliness and isolation, “Extensive scientific findings from a variety of disciplines, including epidemiology, neuroscience,
medicine, psychology, and sociology, converge on the same conclusion: social connection is a significant predictor of longevity and better physical, cognitive, and mental health, while
social isolation and loneliness are significant predictors of premature death and poor health”. Finding places in our city and county that allow for and promote this type of social
connection is challenging. There are just not many places for people to gather and be together, especially in the long dark months of winter. An indoor pool and community facility would
help address this gap.
1. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf
4. Exercise is important for aging well and maintaining independent mobility. According to the 2022 US census, 49% of the population of Jefferson county is aged 65 years or more. Many
people in our city struggle to find comfortable, accessible, and safe places to exercise. This contributes to declines in strength, balance, cognitive function, and the ability to care
for oneself independently. In the winter months in particular people struggle to remain active enough to maintain their strength, which often results in decreased ability to engage
in life-fulfilling activities come spring. A community pool and exercise center would be an excellent resource for all of us to take better care of our own health. Also, many members
of our community experience chronic, limiting pain. Moving in water allows us to move more freely and often with less pain and restriction, and this experience can be immensely valuable
in keeping us moving on land.
1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/sms.14112
In conclusion, a community pool would benefit all of us, and we should build it.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Samantha Bair-Jones
Port Townsend, WA
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