REMARKS
Shekar Krishnan highlights the lack of access to public pools and the need to partner with non-profits to augment swim programming
0:35:21
·
104 sec
Shekar Krishnan highlights the stark lack of access to public pools and the need for expanded partnerships to augment swim programming.
- Krishnan points out the significant gap in public pool availability and access to swim programs, especially in his district and Councilor North Sea's district.
- He mentions the bureaucratic challenges and insurance requirements that hinder nonprofit organizations from accessing Department of Education (DOE) pools.
- Krishnan stresses the importance of utilizing parks department facilities beyond pools to offer more swim programming.
- He calls for increased collaboration to bridge the gap in swim program access, highlighting communities and districts most impacted by this shortage.
Shekar Krishnan
0:35:21
I think that that is the issue, and I'm sure we hear more about it from a public testimony as well is you're gonna hear it over and over again, whether it's my district, Councilor North Sea's district, the the lack of public pools, the lack of access to programming is really stark, and it's not something that we're gonna fix overnight or even in the near future because pools take a long time to build, signing them, citing them, unless we find ways to expand our part partnerships.
0:35:46
And I know, and I didn't trouble hearing more between difficulties in swim organizations and nonprofit partners getting access to Fox Department pools and very happy commissioner, but we can have that conversation later.
0:36:00
But also even with DOE pools and we'll follow-up with DOE.
0:36:03
But I know there too, there are a number of bureaucratic hurdles, insurance requirements that are very onerous that make it very difficult for nonprofit partners to get access to even DOE pools.
0:36:12
The end result, the upshot of all of this, is that nonprofits that have excellent programs and services and serve so many New Yorkers are boxed out of any kinds of facilities to augment swim programming.
0:36:25
There for facilities are still not yet being used in some way with the parks department beyond parks pools to to provide programming, and there's a real gap there.
0:36:36
And in that gap are so many communities and districts that without more collaboration, without that gap being filled simply are not going to have access.
0:36:44
And I think we've got to find ways to really bridge that gap and do it with everyone at the table.
0:36:49
But Thank you, council member, Narcis, for your questions.
0:36:53
Council member, Brewer.
0:36:55
Very happy to have you here.
0:36:56
I know you've got it.
0:36:57
We'll take a little detour from our hearing from our topic of today's hearing to hear your excellent legislation.
0:37:02
So I wanna invite you to make your your statement on your bill.