Dear Outdoor Pool Supporters:

Seattle is on the verge of making some very big decisions related to surplus public school property, open reservoirs that will either be drained or lidded, light rail station designs, and major renovations of aged infrastructures such as the Rainer Beach Community Center and Magnuson Park Campus. We need the results of a timely pool feasibility study in order to take advantage of such opportunities before the resources are committed elsewhere. No pool can be built without professional urban planning expertise and true community process to approve pool sites.

The conversation has begun, the proposal to fund a study is on the table, but I hear from Councilmember Della’s office that not enough people have written in to support this idea. He is thinking of pulling his proposal. What a shame to be this close, and let it slip away for yet another year or more.

Please Write Each Councilmember Immediately
See sample below, send your same message to each CM individually – group emails are not as effective. We must reach each of the CMs in order for Della to have the full council support. He won’t get it if we don’t convince the entire council that enough people support it.

david.della@seattle.gov (chair of parks committee)
Jan.drago@seattle.gov (on parks committee)
richard.conlin@seattle.gov (on parks committee)
sally.clark@seattle.gov (alternate for parks committee, chair neighborhoods committee)
richard.mciver@seattle.gov (chair of budget committee)
nick.licata@seattle.gov
peter.steinbrueck@seattle.gov
jean.godden@seattle.gov
tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov

Or, Regular Mail: Councilmember (NAME), Po Box 34025, Seattle, WA 98124-4025

Dear Councilmember (NAME): Thank you for your hard work on behalf of our citizens. Please support Councilmember Della’s proposal to fund a city-wide feasibility study to site outdoor public pools in Seattle. There are currently only 2 public outdoor pools available to the entire city and both are located west of Aurora-99. Outdoor pools are community gathering places in the summer months; families stay all day, giving neighbors important time to reconnect. Unfortunately, outdoor swimming has become an exclusive activity in Seattle; waitlists for the private swim clubs are anywhere between 5-12 years long and membership fees start at $2,000. Please act now to increase the capacity of public outdoor pools. Your action will help expand the summer swim league, teach more children how to swim, and improve the quality of life for citizens in all economic groups. Thank you for your time and support!

Send written testimony one page in length, before Oct 30th ; email to budget@seattle.gov

Ask your kids to send handwritten letters to Parks Department

Interim Superintendent Christopher Williams
c/o Seattle Parks and Recreation
100 Dexter Ave N.
Seattle, WA 98109

THANK YOU!!
Christine Larsen
(Update: Elizabeth Nelson (elizabeth@seattlepools.org) is now the contact person for Project Seattle Pools)