The preliminary news looks good for swimming and wading in Seattle - no cuts.  But we can’t be complacent. The Mayor’s proposed 2012 budget is not the final deal.  The City Council invites your comments here. Your comments are used to hammer out the final budget.

Kathy Whitman, Aquatics Manager for the Seattle Parks Department, kindly summarized the impact of the Mayor’s proposed budget on swimmers:

"Our community centers took major cuts, but pools and beaches are not currently in line for any reductions for 2012.  The public comment phase has started and final decisions are made in November, but we are optimistic that we continue with our current funding.  Pools have been working hard to reduce expenses with investment in utility conservation. We raised fees for 2011 and still show an increase in attendance above 2010 levels, which is great.

Our next focus is on getting donations for swimming scholarships to make sure that we can serve low income families. "

For more information on donating for swimming scholarships, contact the Associated Recreation Council.

Particularly cool are Kathy’s words about Mounger Pool, the public outdoor pool in Magnolia.

"Our revenue projections for Mounger for this year show that we will be close to 100% recovery for both operations and maintenance."

Neat-o.  A public facility that almost completely covers its costs.  A great model for another, future outdoor pool in Seattle, eh? 

Last-but-not-least, here’s the City’s own summary of the impact of Mayor’s proposed budget:

“…the 2012 Proposed Budget maintains investments in public safety resources for downtown parks, maintains funding for all City-funded swimming pools, maintains lifeguards on all of the City’s public beaches, maintains 2011 funding levels for wading pools, and keeps all community centers open (the Rainier Beach Community Center and pool will reopen in 2013 following a closure for reconstruction).”