HomeMy WebLinkAbout091524 email - Please let us have a new poolALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Dear City and County Officials,
When our family moved to Port Townsend in 2019, we thought it was almost the perfect place to raise a family. We were excited about the excellent schools, access to all forms of outdoor
recreation, and rich culture for a community of its size. Before settling in Port Townsend, our young daughters had been very involved in competitive swimming and when we learned that
Port Townsend had a youth club swim team(RedFins) we were thrilled they could continue with the sport our whole family loves. The first time we stepped into the Moutain View Pool, we
were shocked and disappointed by the aged and decrepit facility. It became clear to me then and remains clear to me now, that the lack of a reasonable aquatic facility and offerings
of youth aquatic programs is holding our community back. This year my 9th grader was able to join the East Jefferson Rivals Swim Team after patiently waiting 4 ½ years to resume competitive
swimming after COVID shut down all youth swim programs. She is now happy to be swimming with several other kids who she swam with years ago. Unfortunately, our swimmers are training
in a pool that is too old, too short, too hot, has murky and disgusting water, and has barely enough lanes to fit the team. The coaches don’t have enough access to the tools they need
due to the small single-tank design, like a diving board (yes, there is a diving team this year) or real starting blocks. The divers are traveling to neighboring towns to practice and
the pool is inadequate to host meets so we can’t ever be a ‘home team’. Frankly, the current pool is an embarrassment. The extended pool closures, lack of swimming lessons, and terrible
pool hours have created a situation where very few kids middle school age or younger know how to swim or even feel comfortable in and around water because they have no available aquatic
recreation opportunities without leaving the area.
We are a proud maritime community so let’s show that by building a new pool that provides all the services and amenities our residents need and that allows our families and seniors to
thrive. The kids deserve it, our community deserves it. Let’s get this job done.
Katelyn Bosley
Port Townsend Resident - HS Swim Team Parent