SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane’s public pools could see fewer closures if voters approve the Together Spokane levy in November.
The levy would fund dozens of school and parks projects, including money for maintaining public pools. Spokane Parks and Recreation says the funding would help them fix problems before they force pool closures.
“What the levy and the Together Spokane initiative would give us is additional dollars around deferred maintenance, whether that’s mechanical, our pool decks, or our slides to make sure they’re maintained properly,” said Garrett Jones, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Spokane.
Families use pools like the one at A.M. Cannon Park during summer to cool down and have fun. But old equipment creates problems for park staff.
“We have issues with our pool heaters, pumps, pipes, everything. It’s a little bit old and so some of those things are starting to fail across the system in places,” said Josh Oakes, Recreation Supervisor for the City of Spokane.
When pool equipment breaks, pools can stay closed for days. Jones says many pool systems need ongoing maintenance or replacement.
The levy money would mainly go toward maintenance. The department might expand pool hours if the levy passes and could hire more staff.
All public pools in Spokane are free with a SplashPass. Pool users want this to continue.
“I think it’s really cool that it’s free, especially in lower-income neighborhoods where kids might not be able to afford it. They can come here and meet new friends, and stay out of trouble,” said Amber Tooley, who brings her children to the pools.
“We need something for them to do, always, always,” said Tiffany Eatmon, another pool user.
Parks and Recreation wants to keep pools free regardless of the levy outcome. But Jones says emergency repairs take money away from other projects. If the levy fails, the department might cut other areas to keep pools free.
The Together Spokane levy will be on the ballot in November.
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