Letter to the Editor: We DO need a new pool - vote yes on Prop 1

To the Editor:

I read Dan Adams' letter that asked residents to vote no on Prop 1, the Parks and Recreation Center proposition on the November ballot. I am offering a different view.

I, too, am a 2+ decade swimmer at the Shoreline pool. Let me tell you about my Monday experience. I got there at 6, got into water that is two degrees colder than it should be. Good for me, but maybe not seniors. The water had low visibility. There was hair and chunks of what appeared to be insulation or lint in the shallow end. And there were four people in each lane. I swam until 6:30 because Masters swim takes over the pool then. That 5:30-6:30am slot is the only time for lap swim for working people. On Monday the showers had hot water. For the last year, the men’s shower hasn’t had hot water. The women’s shower fluctuates when you flush the toilet. (No disrespect to James who runs the pool. It’s just an old pool!)

As I drove home on 185th and then Aurora, I marveled at the extensive townhouse/large apartment complex construction happening in Shoreline and thought of the thousands of new residents and kids who will be using our new facility and how wonderful that will be. As millennials age and use the pool like I do, there will be ample parking and swim lanes, and a separate pool for me as I push 70.

I thought about alternatives to new construction. Well, we have a couple pools in our general area. But the Innis Arden pool is resident and invitation only. Klahaya has a 4 year waitlist. And.. that’s it.

This thinking forward is important - like the Alaskan Way Viaduct, people said repair it, repair it! Don’t build a new tunnel! 20 years after the earthquake, we have a beautiful waterfront and a tunnel that reflects the vision for years to come. I’m glad I live in a community that has vision for 2020 and 2040. Please vote yes on Prop 1.

Jamie Holter

Shoreline