Pool Facts

Seattle has 1.7 pools/100,000 residents while the average US city boasts 3.0/100,000 (Trust for Public Lands, 2006).  Our city has built only one pool in 30 years.  The filtration systems of many existing public pools can’t keep up with the heavy use they see today, so they have to close one day a week to deal with chlorine byproducts.

We still have only 2 outdoor public pools, neither one centrally located.  The new Mounger pool has proven the cost-effectiveness of outdoor, public pools– it has a 95% cost-recovery rate for yearly operations and spends summers packed to the gills.  No wonder private outdoor pools have 8-10 year waiting lists—View Ridge Pool, for example, has 847 families on its wait list. 

We’re short on pools of all sorts.  Seattle has only one 50 meter public pool and it’s only open in the summer.  Public rehab pools with graduated entries are common in other cities but Seattle does not have a single one.  Kids’ swim teams hit the water hours before dawn because public swim lanes are so scarce.  It’s the right time to add pools! 

Documents

• National Data for Cities:  # Swimming Pools per 100,000 Residents.  Seattle is well below the 3.0 average for all cities, with 1.7 pools/100,00 people. (Trust for Public Lands)
• Feasibility Study Proposed to City Council, Oct 2007
• Christine’s Testimony to the City Council, Oct 10 2007
• Seattle Neighborhood Plans that include pools.  Excerpts.

Existing Pools

• Spreadsheet of Specs for Seattle Public Pools. Construction dates, sizes, etc.
• Trends in Pool Modernization and Seattle Status.  From a 2002 draft document prepared by Seattle Parks and Recreation.  Draft has not yet been updated or verified.
• Seattle Pool History.  From a 2002 draft document prepared by Seattle Parks and Recreation.  Draft has not yet been updated or verified.
• Seattle Public Pool Web Pages
• Swimmer’s Guide.  Comprehensive, world-wide database of pools available to the public.
• Eastside Pools.  List compiled by Project Splash (see next section).
• Map of existing public pools.  Modified from a Parks Department map.  Note the distribution of outdoor pools, both far west.

Other Groups Campaigning for Pools

• Project Splash. This group has made great strides campaigning for an aquatics complex on the Eastside.

Letter You Can Forward To Friends About the Parks Meetings:

Dear Swimmers and Families:
As you know, Seattle public pools are overflowing and overbooked.  Project Seattle Pools needs your help to convince City leaders that it’s time to add public pools.  Letters from swimmers like you have already helped to place an initial pool feasibility study into the Parks Department’s plan for 2008.  Now we have a new challenge.  We need your help to convince the Parks Department to prioritize pool space in its 5-year Strategic Plan.   

The new Parks Department Superintendent will hold 33 community meetings in late November and early December 2007 to gather input for the new Parks strategic plan.  We need you to attend one of these meetings and speak for pool space.  If Parks & Rec does not hear strong support for pools, pools will go to the back of the line for another 5 years. 

How to Help: 
#1 Priority:  Please speak for pools at one of the 33 Seattle Parks Dept. Strategic Planning meetings near you.  Dates, times and locations are listed here: http://seattlepools.org/actions-needed/. 
#2:  If you cannot make it to a Parks meeting, you can email your comments to Parks Strategic Planning Coordinator Susanne Friedman: Susanne.Friedman@Seattle.Gov.  Note that we’ve been told attendance at the meetings themselves will have the most impact.
#3:  If you have time, it’s also helpful to send letters to Mayor Nichols (PO Box 94749 Seattle, WA 98124-4749) and soon-to-be-confirmed Parks Superintendent Tim Gallagher (Seattle Parks and Recreation, 100 Dexter Ave N.,Seattle, WA 98109).  Tell them how well pools “build strong families and healthy communities,” one of the Mayor’s key initiatives. 

Email elizabeth@seattlepools.org if you have questions, want to receive updates or would like to join our team.  You can watch www.seattlepools.org for updates.

Thanks so much for your help. 

–The Project Seattle Pools Team

Pool Facts
Seattle has 1.7 pools/100,000 residents while the average US city boasts 3.0/100,000 (Trust for Public Lands, 2006).  Our city has built only one pool in 30 years.  The filtration systems of many existing pools can’t keep up with the heavy use they see today, so many pools have to close once a week to deal with chlorine byproducts.  We still have only 2 outdoor pools, neither one centrally located.  The new, public Mounger pool is outdoors and has a 95% cost-recovery rate, so it’s not a drain on the City budget.  Private outdoor pools have 8-10 year waiting lists—View Ridge Pool, for example, has 847 families on its wait list.  Seattle has only one 50 meter public pool and it’s only open in the summer.  Rehab pools with graduated entries are common in other cities but not in ours.  It’s the right time to add pools!  We’ll keep posting more pool facts here:  http://seattlepools.org/resources-3/

Sample Blurb for Placement in Your Team/Club Newsletter:

Help Get Pools on the Parks Department Agenda
The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department will soon begin a comprehensive round of community meetings to guide the development of the Parks’ Strategic Business Plan.  This plan will direct City focus and investment for the next 5 years.  A group of neighbors seeks your help to convince Parks to expand pool facilities in Seattle   For details, see www.seattlepools.org or contact elizabeth@seattlepools.org.   Please attend one of the following meetings and let Parks know you care about expanding public pool space. 

{Nearby Meetings Go Here…. Example:}
11/27 Tuesday 5-7 pm Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center
11/29 Thursday 7-9 pm Laurelhurst Community Center
12/4 Tuesday 7- 9pm Meadowbrook Community Center
12/5 Wednesday 7-9pm Magnuson Community Center