SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Public Schools and Spokane Parks are asking voters to approve funding to reopen the Spokane Community College indoor pool, which has been shuttered since 2020.
The pool renovation is one of several joint projects included in the $440 million “Together Spokane” initiative, which requires both the proposed bond and levy to pass in November for completion.
“This will be a public facility. So, for anyone, whether that’s youth, adults or seniors,” said Dr. Adam Swinyard, superintendent of Spokane Public Schools.
The proposal comes as demand for swimming facilities continues to grow in Spokane.
“We had over 100,000 visitors just in that stretch of time this summer. There are a lot of people that want access to swimming, whether it’s for fitness, for fun or mobility issues,” said Josh Oakes, recreation supervisor for the City of Spokane.
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The Parks and Recreation Department said renovating the existing pool would be more cost-effective than constructing a new indoor aquatic center from scratch.
The facility would serve multiple purposes, including accommodating high school swim teams for practices and meets, providing therapeutic programming for people with disabilities and offering year-round swimming access to the community.
Alice Busch, recreation supervisor for the City of Spokane, said it is crucial to increase swimming access for individuals with disabilities.
“It’s like another world for a lot of swimmers with disabilities and it’s another opportunity to exercise, to feel freedom,” Busch said.
Current programs for swimmers with disabilities fill up quickly, and the city’s sensory sensitivity swims for people with autism are only available during summer months. A year-round facility would expand these offerings significantly.
Swinyard said it’s a critical safety aspect of the proposal, particularly for the autism community.
“Drowning is the number one cause of death for persons with autism. There are very few options in our community for them to get access to therapeutic programming. The needs of that space are unique to that community,” he said.
In addition to providing space for therapeutic programs and high school swim teams, the reopened pool would expand Spokane Public Schools’ aquatic education program.
The district said it would be able to give swim lessons to every SPS second grader if taxpayers approve the funding in November.
For more information on the Together Spokane proposal, visit www.togetherspokane.org.
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