In light of today's article about city-owned pools, I wonder: do municipal pools make sense any more? Granted, they have a strong emotional draw. But are they worthwhile from a more rational perspective? I'm really not sure.
I do know one thing: pools open to the general public serve a legitimate and desirable purpose. I haven't been an avid public pool user for years, but it seems clear that a pool-less summer in Lincoln would be, for many Lincolnites, a disaster. Closing Lincoln's pools without a solid backup plan (i.e. a private company or two coming in and guaranteeing a certain level of service at certain prices) would cause more problems than it would solve.
I don't think Lincoln should spend too much energy trying to build new pools in Lincoln's newest neighborhoods. We need to ensure that Lincoln's older (and often poorer) neighborhoods have ample recreational opportunities. Let's take care of the most-used pools in the city's core first.
I also think investing in Star City Shores might make sense. It has proven very popular and there is space available for expansion. As a bonus, SCS is accessible via three bus routes (6, 16, and 27S) and two bike paths, meaning kids from all over can get there relatively easily without needing a ride. I also wouldn't mind building a second SCS-like park somewhere on the north side of town, preferably a spot that is likewise accessible. North 27th Street is an obvious candidate, but man, do we really need to put everything on North 27th Street?
My biggest concern is cost. When I hear questions like "How are we going to pay for new facilities?" I think, "Shouldn't they pay for themselves?" It sure seems like they should. But then you think about the short season, subsidies for low-income families, and so on, and the financing difficulties become a little clearer.
What do you think? Do municipal pools still make sense today? Where should we focus our efforts? Should we pursue private options to replace or supplement the public options?
Comments
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Like you, I’m not really a pool person now that I am an adult. But when I was a kid I loved swimming pools. Not being a lifelong Lincolnite, what is the background to this issue? The article makes it sound as if the city’s pools aren’t used by a high number of people. It would also be helpful if there was information on what the cost is for maintaining a public pool during the summer.
The new pools can be on the new roads created for the new arena, right after the State Fair is moved to a new location. We could probably decorate the new pools with whatever new public arts program we have going on. Seriously, are Lincoln’s leaders playing a joke on us? Every week is a new thing that is going to cost taxpayers millions.
I loved going to the pool when I was little (not in Lincoln). But that we all liked it when we were little illustrates the fact that the pools are beneficial to only a small group of people. They may make some people feel warm and fuzzy inside, but so would teddy bears. I wouldn’t advocate raising taxes to buy everyone a teddy bear. In other words, pools aren’t a ‘general good’ item, so they shouldn’t be supported by taxpayer money.
Using public swimming pools was one of the few things we could afford to do when we first moved to Lincoln. I think pools are one of the things a city should provide for residents. It’s a quality-of-life thing.
I would support a study to determine if additional pools are needed. It seems like we have enough now, but I could be wrong.
Seems like user fees could help pay off any long-term bonds needed to pay for the improvements/pools.
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