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Increase in swimming pool fees is too much |
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June 24, 2015 |
June 23, 2015
To the Editor:
Having used the local municipal pool for the
past 4 years, I would like to think that we are
fortunate to have this amenity available to us.
I use the pool on a daily basis to do resistance
exercises, which are very helpful, since I have
some physical issues.
However, I have noticed this season that there
are fewer children using the pool during the
open swim, which is in the afternoon. I almost
feel like I have the pool to myself. One recent
beautiful afternoon, there were 2 young girls
and myself. In years past, the pool would be
jammed with young people. I wonder if this
absence is due to the recent admission increase?
The first year I used the pool, there was no
charge. My wife used the pool as a child and
there was no fee. Then, two years ago, there was
a very nominal fee of $1 a day, $5 for a season
if one were a city resident, and $10 for a
county resident.
This year, the cost doubled in all three
categories without any notice. Doesn't seem like
a lot of money, but I know of a family with 4
kids who wanted to go swimming. Mom couldn't
afford the $10 for all five of them to swim.
I asked a life guard if they received a pay
raise this year due to the increased fees. The
reply was no. Maybe there are some costs that
came up recently that weren't needed in the last
40-50 years, I don't know.
What I do know--Boundary County is ranked 36th
out of 44 counties in the state in per capita
income. All one has to do is look around. We
live in a depressed area. Maybe the city
administrators should revisit this fee structure
and make it more palatable to families who want
to use the pool.
Larry Bauer |
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