By IRENE POWELLAug. 8, 2017 the Los Alamos County Council voted to just do a small kiddie pool for $5 million instead of using the entire $7,816,000 that was in the projected budget for a multi-generational pool.
Since then the county staff did the research as requested by the council and has now presented a design for the $5 million, they had to leave out the lazy river and the water slide and it is now just a zero-entry, warm water pool with some water sprays.
The extra $2 million will bring back the lazy river and water slide. The county has the money to make a nice family recreational pool that can be enjoyed by all ages, all year around. What are we waiting for!
Thirty years ago, the entire Aquatic Center was $4 million, things are not going to get cheaper. This community can afford to do this for our families, what we can’t afford is to wait any longer!
There also is an additional $150,000 that has been sitting in a county interest bearing account, collected from fundraising 25 years ago for just such a pool. It would be difficult to ask the citizens of Los Alamos to fundraise again for the same project when nothing was done the first time. Let’s use this money toward this project, it might buy a few water spouts, or some water jets in one wall (that would feel good on aching backs).
The Aquatic Center is used by more people than any other recreational facility in our town, at least 4,000 patrons a month use our pool (there are lots of special fun and training events every month) and that number increases during swim meets and triathlons, or when international swim teams come to train at high altitude.
Swimming is not only for fitness and fun, but knowing how to swim can save lives. We have a great facility that can be even better if it can appeal to young and old alike that enjoy warm, shallow water. What an asset this would be for our community.
I encourage you to email your county council today, they represent you, they want to know your opinion, and hopefully they will vote for what the majority wants, democracy in action: countycouncil@lacnm.us Your voice counts!
PLEASE COME to the County Council meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, come earlier if you want to sign up to speak during public comment. But even if you don’t want to speak, just your presence can say a lot, bring the kids, too.
Urge our County Council to do this pool right, not to piecemeal it … and to do it right now before another generation passes!
Thank you!
