October 01, 2009
Thursday PM

Just a question for Mr. Dial and his opposition to the pool intiative...he stated in his letter: "..Valley park pool can be re-opened while Mike Smithers Pool is being renovated, meaning that we will ALWAYS have an open pool. "

UUUHHH has he been up to the old Valley Park school lately???? It now houses the Ketchikan Charter School and the Tongass School of Arts and Sciences. The entire building is being utilized as classrooms for these two schools. I had heard a contractor state way back when these schools were being formed that he was getting paid to fill in the Valley Park pool with concrete!! I am not sure of this but I do know that both of these schools now reside in this building.

So, if renovation is done to the current Mike Smithers Pool and reopen the Valley Park Pool, how much would that cost to relocate students and rebuild THAT pool? How long would students, senior citizens, and community members be without a pool to do this? How much revenue would be lost while the facilities are closed? Do you not think that these things had not been considered when they proposed a NEW POOL versus renovation? Has he gone to a Pool Ad Hoc Committee meeting?

The Mike Smithers Pool is used for sooooo many things right now. Have you, Mr. Dial, been up to the pool on any given day to see how many people utilize the facilities?

There are:

swim lessons, most important in my opinion,
school swim days,
Ketchikan Killer Whales Swim Team
execise equipment and sauna,
adult swim programs: arthritis, physical therapy, aqua aerobics, masters,
Parties can be booked, which is excellent for this community for an option for our children and families,
Training can be performed by various local organizations and businesses, which is hugely important for our area due to weather conditions not always cooperating,

The list can go on for the benefits that this pool has had for our community. Personally, I want my children to know how to swim and know how to be safe in the water with a life jacket.

I am also dismayed by some of the bad fiscal choices our local governments have made, but cannot turn back the clock and have more people vote for these propositions again, or the people that had been elected. Ketchikan's statistics for voter turn out is rather SAD to say the least. I believe that I have a voice because I have actually voted!! I will be voting on Oct. 6th for the Pool Bond Initiative. I hope others will vote this year as well, regardless of how they feel about a new pool, just VOTE so we know what our community wants!!

Thanks,

Denise Buker
Ketchikan, AK

About: " Ketchikan Resident for over 14 years and mother to two avid swimmers"

Received September 29, 2009 - Published October 01, 2009

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Important Community Information By Rodney Dial

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