The ARC of King County recently sent a strong letter of support for aquatics planning to each member the City Council.  The ARC advocates for members of our community with developmental disabilities.

Dear Councilman Rasmussen,

I am writing to you to support the Comprehensive Aquatic Plan for the construction and expansion of pools for public use in Seattle.   Pools that are currently available now are overcrowded and not fully accessible.   The overcrowding, for a person with a disability is a huge deterrent as well as having full access to the pool.   Pools need to be upgraded and modernized to achieve accessibility. 

We know that people with disabilities benefit greatly from the recreational outlet and therapeutic value of pool use.

We support many people with disabilities and their families who would greatly benefit from the use of an accessible public pool.   I encourage you to not only go forward and build more pools in Seattle but also, when you are considering this plan, to pay attention to the needs of people with disabilities so that there is access to all who may want to use it.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter to the people of Seattle.

Sylvia Fuerstenberg, MSW
Executive Director
The Arc of King County
Serving People with Developmental Disabilities and
Their Families Since 1936
www.arcofkingcounty.org