Q&A
Council Member Holden discusses swim instruction and pool availability in the city
0:52:41
·
150 sec
Council Member Robert F. Holden raises concerns about the lack of pools in his district and explores the possibility of adding smaller training pools to recreation centers for swim instruction. Commissioner Sue Donoghue responds with information on current swim teaching opportunities and programs.
- Holden's district lacks public pools, limiting swim instruction opportunities
- Discussion of potentially adding smaller, less expensive pools to recreation centers for swim training
- Parks Department offers swim improvement programs at recreation centers
- Free 6-month membership offered to those who pass the lifeguard qualifying test for further training
- Suggestion to focus on training children aged 1.5 to 3 years old
Robert F. Holden
0:52:41
So this is what what the chair was saying about extending the hours, especially in very warm weather.
Olga Perez
0:52:46
Mhmm.
Robert F. Holden
0:52:46
I know.
0:52:47
And you didn't get the budget.
0:52:49
You deserve, first of all.
0:52:51
And the mayor did promise that he was going to give us 1% in his campaign, and he didn't deliver.
0:52:58
And that has repercussions.
0:53:01
And this is one of them.
0:53:02
This is a a a problem that we're facing.
0:53:06
And my district has no polls.
0:53:09
We we fund swim instruction, but it's not enough.
0:53:13
It's very you know, again, you could only reach a very few amount of your constituents.
0:53:19
Have you explored and again, I'm sorry if you if the chair asked this question when I was out, but have you explored sort of like swim teaching pools where they're much smaller, less expensive, but we can get the job done by reaching a number of constituents.
Sue Donoghue
0:53:35
Thank you for the question council member.
0:53:38
And we have I mean, our rec centers are, you know, provide opportunities for swim teaching.
0:53:43
In fact, for when people come in for the qualifying test, one of the things that we did for those who passed a qualifying trial test, we offered free membership for 6 months to people to train.
0:53:54
So in order to then if they pass a qualifying test, then they go into training.
0:53:59
We offered free membership.
0:54:00
Our rec centers in order for people to enhance their skills.
0:54:03
We have a swim improvement program that we offer at our rec centers also to help individuals to be able to pass the rigorous life current test.
0:54:12
So, yes, it's something we think a lot about is how do we spend access to swim training?
Robert F. Holden
0:54:16
So so rex there's a lot of rex centers without pools.
0:54:19
I'm just saying within those rex centers.
0:54:21
Mhmm.
0:54:22
Have you priced out, like, let's say, a proposal of 50 of them Mhmm.
0:54:28
Having, you know, these smaller pools for our training, for swim training.
Sue Donoghue
0:54:32
Do you mean adding new pools?
Robert F. Holden
0:54:34
Adding to adding to them like a capital project, what would it cost?
0:54:38
I mean, I I don't think it would cost the price of a large pool, but it would you know, what would it cost?
0:54:43
To to really train our especially our young children.
0:54:46
I think the ages of one and a half to to 3, prime age, you know, that's where you should train every child.
0:54:54
And my daughter does that.
0:54:55
She pays for it, but she she she thinks that's very, very important that her kids get that training.
0:55:01
So if we could work that out into a budget in in the future years, I'm sure the council will support them.
0:55:09
Thank you.
0:55:10
Thank you.
0:55:10
Sure.
