HomeMy WebLinkAbout121423 email Public comment_ Water safety_our kids deserve itALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Dear County Commissioners
The past two weeks I was fortunate enough to witness water safety classes for second graders at the Mountain View Pool. For the first time since the pandemic, these lessons will be provided
again for Salish Coast Elementary School children from 3rd grade to pre-school. While written into the lease agreement with the YMCA, its taken a huge lift by Principal Lisa, Y staff,
teachers and volunteers to get this up and running again.
It was pure joy. (With the exception of the change room portion, that was largely pure noise). On day one, for most kids there was uncontainable excitement. Some kids could string a
handful of strokes together. The overzealousness of many, however, was immediately apparent as they entered the water, their smiling faces were semi-submerged, tending more towards
the sinking end of swimming (please note qualified lifeguards and swim instructors were present at all times). For a handful of others there was understandable trepidation, having not
been to the pool before and preferring to sit on the edge or hold onto the wall, their faces always above the water. But little by little, what a difference those six sessions made
to the confidence and safety of these kids.
One moment stands out - it was a fleeting minute when the water skills, team rescue drills and cannonballing paused. Instead the kids were quietly floating on their backs enjoying the
bliss of accomplishment, independence and weightlessness that water provides. What a rich few hours of learning.
However, our 60 year old pool is at the end of its life-span and any day we could have no public pool at all. Please don’t wait for the pool to fail before the county comes together
to build a new pool. Action and investment is needed now to ensure we have an operating pool to serve our kids, our community, and importantly, extending these classes to all county
school districts. Our kids deserve it.
Kate Chadwick