Fund our borough swimming pools

To the editor:

Do you have a vested interest in continued pool funding or pool upgrades for our Mat-Su Borough pools? These pools are on the agenda at the borough Parks, Recreation and Trails Advisory Board meeting at 5 p.m., Sept. 23.

Architect renderings of a new pool design were at both pools for a number of months then suddenly taken down with no information as to why and what the next plan is. Did you think we were getting a new pool? Sure made it look like it! Why didn’t the rec department put up a notice or information for the public as to what the next process was? I started asking questions.

The department’s reply was this: The pools operate at an annual loss of more than $896,000. If a third pool is constructed by the borough, that number could jump to more than $1.5 million. Currently, the borough is not charged for heating or electrical use at the pools because the utilities are tied to the school building and are not separately metered. A new pool would likely be required to operate independently of any existing school and would therefore have to pay for its own utilities. Depending on the size of the facility, the cost could run an additional $250,000.

There is no funding secured for any of the plans at this time. If the advisory board chooses a plan, it could possibly be done in phases — that is, if the assembly moves forward with anything at all.

My question to the rec department is why do our borough pools run at such a large deficit when other pools around the state appear to be doing well?

These meetings are open to the public. If it makes it to the assembly level, you can attend any meeting where the pools are on the agenda and speak in support of the issue. If you care, please attend.

The Sept. 23 meeting is at the Central Mat-Su Fire Department (Station 6-1) on the corner of Lucille Street and Swanson Avenue in Wasilla. Although 5 p.m. on a weeknight is a very inconvenient time for working adults, please take the time to voice your opinion to support our community!

Contessa Gossett

Palmer