From: Kathryn Boyle
To: Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft; John Knox White; Tony Daysog; Malia Vella; Trish Spencer Cc: Lara Weisiger; Eric Levitt; Amy Wooldridge
Subject: [EXTERNAL] City Council Meeting—February 15, 2022—Agenda Items 7-C & 7-D.
Date: Tuesday, February 15, 2022 5:42:47 PM
Dear Mayor Ashcraft and Members of the City Council,
I am writing in reference to two pool related items on the agenda February 15, items 7-C and 7-D.
I am an avid swimmer and member of ASPA and a parent of a competitive swimmer whose entire swim career was supported by Alameda pools, including KinderSwim at the Alameda Swimming Pool Association (ASPA), swim lessons at Alameda Recreationand Park Department (ARPD), and as a member of the Alameda Gators and Encinal Jets swim teams. I know firsthand the mental, physical, academic, and social benefits of swimming.
I also know firsthand the impact that Alameda’s limited and inadequate pool space has on meeting the demand. Emma Hood is at risk of being shut down by the county. Aquatics programs, both public and private, must turn swimmers away. Practices must constantly flex or be missed due to impacted pools. We are limited in the meets we can hold for our High School and club teams.
Alameda is sorely in need of a new pool facilities. The current pools in Alameda are insufficient to meet the demands of the community and are not worthy of a community of our caliber or tax base. The time has come to develop a comprehensive strategy to bring sufficient and reliable aquatics facilities to our community.
Please address the pool situation with an eye toward expanding capacity to the greatest degree possible, ideally maintaining/improving the current facilities, and adding additional facilities to accommodate the current need and the expanding residential growth of the city.
Emma Hood is in imminent danger of being shut down by the county. I encourage the council to work with Alameda Unified School Distric tto make sure that Emma Hood is replaced with a facility that meets the needs of the school aquatics programs and community programs when not in use by the district. I attended all of the workshops that led to the design of the pool renderings attached to this agenda item and I think that option is a good one, but not if Emma Hood has to be closed while funding is gathered for such an expensive project.
I would also like the city to consider an additional swim facility in a new location in Alameda, ideally to be incorporated in a larger recreation center that can serve multiple community health, fitness, and community gathering needs.
As the parent of a non-binary child, I urge you to provide gender neutral locker and restroom facilities, and in fact to please make some effort to address this need in the existing facilities.
Regarding lease options for ASPA, I think some of the recommendations are very valid. I understand that ASPA and the City have been discussing and negotiating to resolve some of the points of concern. I am hopeful that they can continue to find a way to meet in the middle and not simply maintain the status quo but also not to make such drastic changes that those of us who rely on these pools are excluded.
I would like to provide my views on the items raised in the agenda item:
Requiring Appropriately Trained Lifeguards on Deck:
The Red Cross certification seems to be overkill for a pool with a depth of 6 feet. Perhaps an enhanced training and recertification process for keyholders would be appropriate, with a posted sign that says “no lifeguard on duty”, a signed waiver from each swimmer, including acknowledgement of the understanding and adherence of rules, etc. would maintain enough of the status quo and yet address concerns for enhanced keyholder accountability. If guards on deck are required, fees will surely go up, which is counter the further point of increasing accessibility.
As a point of clarification, the agenda item states that ASPA “has not expressed interest in having the City provide that [Red Cross] training and ongoing certification at no cost”. My understanding is that ASPA board members have been working toward negotiating with the City to help train and certify the many members who would otherwise have to do it at their own expense of $300 per member. I hope, if this requirement remains, that the City will continue to negotiate with the ASPA board to support.
Public Access and Equity:
I wholeheartedly agree that equity, diversity, and inclusion are major concerns in the aquatic community, and I would say that is true throughout the country and is something we need to solve for together. I am unclear, however, what the standards of access and equity are, and why ASPA would be held to a standard of inclusion that I am not sure Alameda’s ARPD pools have met.
If access is related to availability and affordability, looking at ARPD’s summer activity guide, I see no recreational or lap swim times listed. I do see a number of new programs encouraging inclusion in aquatic sports, but all are quite expensive (example Intro to Swim: 5 classes of
1.5-hours each for $250). Looking at the ARPD website, I see that very limited lap swim times are available and that you need to pre-register and family/rec swim is available for $50 per hour (though it is unclear when those time are available.) If I were to use ARPD for my lap swimming and recreational swimming, I would be paying considerably more than I am with ASPA. ASPA fees of roughly $450 per year includes lessons and access to the pool every day throughout the summer and year-round access for keyholders. Payment plans are available (though admittedly not well advertised).
ASPA provides free KinderSwim and Senior swim on a reliable basis.
Alameda Gators is more affordable than most other swim teams in the area and offers scholarships for those in need.
ASPA has indicated a willingness to reach out to and support swimming for low income and underserved communities, included swim lessons and access for programs such as the Boys and Girls Club and Alameda Point Collaborative residents.
ASPA’s membership base allows for the operations and maintenance of the pool. Going to a per use model may increase accessibility (though I am not actually certain it would), though the risk is that to reach a break-even point, the per use fee may need to be high. For me with ASPA, the cost for just lap swimming is around $2.50 per swim. A scan of pools in neighboring communities show that fees on a per swim basis are in the $5 – 10 per swim range. I think it would be very difficult for an independent operator or the City to provide the level of service that ASPA has been able to provide by charging on a per swim basis without the fees being inaccessible for many.
Please encourage the City to help support the swim community to determine benchmarks for diversity and inclusion and models for access across all pools.
Sincerely,
Kathryn Boyle
ASPA Member
Alameda Resident
From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: Aquatic Facilities in Alameda
Date: Monday, February 14, 2022 9:52:47 PM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Vanessa Yingling <[email protected]>
Date: Feb 14, 2022 5:11 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Aquatic Facilities in Alameda
To: CityCouncil-List <[email protected]>
Cc:
Monday, February 14, 2022
To: The Honorable Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft and members of the Alameda City Council
From: Vanessa Yingling, Ph.D.
Re: Alameda Aquatics Facilities
Dear Mayor Ashcraft and members of the Council
As a member of the Alameda Aquatic Masters, I urge you to support developing and maintaining public pools in the City of Alameda. We ask that you develop a plan that keeps the Emma Hood pool operational until there is a project in place to renovate the facility, similar to what was done with the Encinal High School pool.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our team membership grew by 40%, and we have watched the community’s water polo and swimming programs thrive and expand. Our community needs multiple aquatic facilities to meet the continuing demand of Alameda residents as we continue to see an escalating demand for aquatic programs, which Emma Hood supports.
Alameda Aquatic Masters has operated continuously since 1981 and is an adult swim program open to all residents 18-years old and older. The 90-member team offers 12 coached workouts per week, focusing on fitness, camaraderie, and competition.
In addition, I have a child, now in college, who was involved in aquatic programs in Alameda since 5
th grade. After moving from Philadelphia, the Gators swim club was a group where she met new friends and was her community through high school. Youth sports, particularly aquatic sports (since we are an Island City) are a means for youth to create community while developing lifelong physical activity habits. In High School, my daughter became a water polo player for Encinal HS and had the opportunity to compete with the Junior Olympic team through the Neptune Water Polo club. Her love for aquatic sports has helped her adapt to college life during the pandemic, she currently plays for the club water polo team at UCLA.
Improving the aquatic facilities on the island is also an investment in our city’s health. Physical activity has been shown to improve most chronic health conditions from Type II diabetes to Osteoarthritis. And the pandemic should have taught us the value of outdoor physical activity spaces. Alameda needs to plan and invest in the future of our youth and of the entire city’s lifelong physical fitness and health. Our facilities are used by the entire community, which should be celebrated and invested in.
Thank you for your consideration.
Regards,
Vanessa Yingling, Ph.D.
Parent of 2 children in AUSD schools
Associate Professor in Kinesiology
Vanessa Yingling
"Respect science respect nature respect each other" -unknown "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." -Anais Nin “Do the best you can until you know better, then when you know better, do better.” -Maya Angelou
H:\Connie\Alameda
City
Council
letter
team.docx
Thursday,
February
3,
2022
Mayor
Marilyn
Ezzy
Ashcraft
2263
Santa
Clara
Avenue
Alameda,
CA
94501
Re:
Alameda
Aquatics
Facilities
Dear
Mayor
Ashcraft
and
members
of
the
Council,
As
a
member
of
the
Alameda
Aquatic
Masters,
I
urge
you
to
support
developing
and
maintaining
public
pools
in
the
City
of
Alameda.
We
ask
that
you
develop
a
plan
that
keeps
the
Emma
Hood
pool
operational
until
there
is
a
project
in
place
to
renovate
the
facility,
similar
to
what
was
done
with
the
Encinal
High
School
pool.
Throughout
the
COVID‐19
pandemic,
our
team
membership
grew
by
40%,
and
we
have
watched
the
community’s
water
polo
and
swimming
programs
thrive
and
expand.
Our
community
needs
multiple
aquatic
facilities
to
meet
the
continuing
demand
of
Alameda
residents
as
we
continue
to
see
an
escalating
demand
for
aquatic
programs,
which
Emma
Hood
supports.
Alameda
Aquatic
Masters
has
operated
continuously
since
1981
and
is
an
adult
swim
program
open
to
all
residents
18‐years
old
and
older.
The
90‐member
team
offers
12 coached
workouts
per
week,
focusing
on
fitness,
camaraderie,
and
competition.
Thank
you
for
your
consideration.
Regards,
Magon
Liu
From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: Alameda Aquatics Facilities
Date: Monday, February 7, 2022 8:17:25 PM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mary-Jane Strom <[email protected]>
Date: Feb 3, 2022 11:24 AM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Alameda Aquatics Facilities
To: CityCouncil-List <[email protected]>
Cc:
Wednesday, February 3, 2022
Dear Mayor Ashcraft and members of the Council,
As a member of the Alameda Aquatic Masters, I urge you to support developing and maintaining public pools in the City of Alameda. We ask that you develop a plan that keeps the Emma Hood pool operational until there is a project in place to renovate the facility, similar to what was done with the Encinal High School pool.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our team membership grew by 40%, and we have watched the community’s water polo and swimming programs thrive and expand. Our community needs multiple aquatic facilities to meet the continuing demand of Alameda residents as we continue to see an escalating demand for aquatic programs, which Emma Hood supports.
Alameda Aquatic Masters has operated continuously since 1981 and is an adult swim program open to all residents 18-years old and older. The 90-member team offers 12 coached workouts per week, focusing on fitness, camaraderie, and competition.
Thank you for your consideration.
Regards,
Mary-Jane Strom
300 Westline Drive
Alameda, CA 94501
H:\Connie\Alameda
City
Council
letter
team.docx
Wednesday,
February
2,
2022
To:
The
Honorable
Mayor
Marilyn
Ezzy
Ashcraft
and
members
of
the
Alameda
City
Council
From:
Re:
Alameda
Aquatics
Facilities
Dear
Mayor
Ashcraft
and
members
of
the
Council
As
a
member
of
the
Alameda
Aquatic
Masters,
I
urge
you
to
support
developing
and
maintaining
public
pools
in
the
City
of
Alameda.
We
ask
that
you
develop
a
plan
that
keeps
the
Emma
Hood
pool
operational
until
there
is
a
project
in
place
to
renovate
the
facility,
similar
to
what
was
done
with
the
Encinal
High
School
pool.
Throughout
the
COVID‐19
pandemic,
our
team
membership
grew
by
40%,
and
we
have
watched
the
community’s
water
polo
and
swimming
programs
thrive
and
expand.
Our
community
needs
multiple
aquatic
facilities
to
meet
the
continuing
demand
of
Alameda
residents
as
we
continue
to
see
an
escalating
demand
for
aquatic
programs,
which
Emma
Hood
supports.
Alameda
Aquatic
Masters
has
operated
continuously
since
1981
and
is
an
adult
swim
program
open
to
all
residents
18‐years
old
and
older.
The
90‐member
team
offers
12 coached
workouts
per
week,
focusing
on
fitness,
camaraderie,
and
competition.
Thank
you
for
your
consideration.
Regards,
Ashley
Eggart
Alameda
Aquatic
Masters
Team
Member
From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: Emma Hood - NEED new pool!!!!
Date: Monday, February 7, 2022 8:14:34 PM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Liana <[email protected]>
Date: Feb 2, 2022 3:40 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Emma Hood - NEED new pool!!!!
To: CityCouncil-List <[email protected]>
Cc:
To: The Honorable Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft and members of the Alameda City Council
From: Liana Hamilton Hans
Re: Alameda Aquatics Facilities
Dear Mayor Ashcraft and members of the Council
As a member of the Alameda Aquatic Masters, I urge you to support developing and maintaining public pools in the City of Alameda. We ask that you develop a plan that keeps the Emma Hood pool operational until there is a project in place to renovate the facility, similar to what was done with the Encinal High School pool.
A pool similar to the pool that was put in at Encinal HS is sufficient. We do not necessarily need a grandiose and expensive pool project as I have seen drawings for. We do NEED a functional pool that does not have chemical issues and repeated heating failures. It is just sad with the taxes we pay that we can’t have a nice high school pool.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our team membership grew by 40%, and we have watched the community’s water polo and swimming programs thrive and expand. Our community needs multiple aquatic facilities to meet the continuing demand of Alameda residents as we continue to see an escalating demand for aquatic programs, which Emma Hood supports.
Alameda Aquatic Masters has operated continuously since 1981 and is an adult swim program open to all residents 18-years old and older. The 90-member team offers 12 coached workouts per week, focusing on fitness, camaraderie, and competition.
Thank you for your consideration.
Regards,
Liana Hamilton Hans
Business Owner
AAM Swimmer
Bond I Oversight Committee Member
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H:\Connie\Alameda
City
Council
letter
team.docx
Wednesday,
February
2,
2022
To:
The
Honorable
Mayor
Marilyn
Ezzy
Ashcraft
and
members
of
the
Alameda
City
Council
From:
Inger
Beaird
Re:
Alameda
Aquatics
Facilities
Dear
Mayor
Ashcraft
and
members
of
the
Council
As
a
member
of
the
Alameda
Aquatic
Masters,
I
urge
you
to
support
developing
and
maintaining
public
pools
in
the
City
of
Alameda.
We
ask
that
you
develop
a
plan
that
keeps
the
Emma
Hood
pool
operational
until
there
is
a
project
in
place
to
renovate
the
facility,
similar
to
what
was
done
with
the
Encinal
High
School
pool.
Throughout
the
COVID-19
pandemic,
our
team
membership
grew
by
40%,
and
we
have
watched
the
community’s
water
polo
and
swimming
programs
thrive
and
expand.
Our
community
needs
multiple
aquatic
facilities
to
meet
the
continuing
demand
of
Alameda
residents
as
we
continue
to
see
an
escalating
demand
for
aquatic
programs,
which
Emma
Hood
supports.
Alameda
Aquatic
Masters
has
operated
continuously
since
1981
and
is
an
adult
swim
program
open
to
all
residents
18-years
old
and
older.
The
90-member
team
offers
12 coached
workouts
per
week,
focusing
on
fitness,
camaraderie,
and
competition.
Thank
you
for
your
consideration.
Regards,
From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: Alameda Aquatics Facilities
Date: Monday, February 7, 2022 8:13:35 PM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sashay Welch <[email protected]>
Date: Feb 2, 2022 3:04 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Alameda Aquatics Facilities
To: CityCouncil-List <[email protected]>
Cc:
Dear Mayor Ashcraft and members of the Council:
As a member of the Alameda Aquatic Masters, I urge you to support developing and maintaining public pools in the City of Alameda. We ask that you develop a plan that keeps the Emma Hood pool operational until there is a project in place to renovate the facility, similar to what was done with the Encinal High School pool.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our team membership grew by 40%, and we have watched the community’s water polo and swimming programs thrive and expand. Our community needs multiple aquatic facilities to meet the continuing demand of Alameda residents as we continue to see an escalating demand for aquatic programs, which Emma Hood supports.
Alameda Aquatic Masters has operated continuously since 1981 and is an adult swim program open to all residents 18-years old and older. The 90-member team offers 12 coached workouts per week, focusing on fitness, camaraderie, and competition.
As a swimmer on the AAM team, I truly appreciate the swimming facilities in Alameda and the positive impact they've had on me through the pandemic. It would be beneficial to so many to keep the Emma Hood facility open.
Thank you for your consideration.
Regards,
Sashay Welch
Bret
Jensen
1 El
Capitan
Ct.
Alameda,
CA
94501
January
19,
2022
To:
The
Honorable
Mayor
Marilyn
Ezzy
Ashcraft
and
members
of
the
Alameda
City
Council
Re:
Alameda
Aquatics
Facilities
Dear
Mayor
Ashcraft
and
members
of
the
Council:
As
a
member
of
Alameda
Aquatics
Masters
and
a
parent
of
two
children
participating
in
youth
aquatics
programs,
I
urge
you
to
support
developing
and
maintaining
public
pools
in
the
city.
Alameda
has
five
public
pools:
Lincoln,
Franklin,
and
Encinal
HS
have
one
apiece,
and
Emma
Hood
swim
center
at
Alameda
HS
has
two.
Demand
for
time
at
these
pools
is
as
high
as
I
have
ever
seen
it.
When
gyms
and
indoor
sports
were
not
available
during
the
pandemic,
interest
in
aquatics
programs
for
children
and
adults
surged.
This
demand
has
strained
the
capacity
of
our
limited,
and
aging,
pool
system.
Moreover,
Alameda
High
School’s
Emma
Hood
facility,
which
is
presently
used
by
Alameda
High
School,
youth
swim,
youth
water
polo,
and
masters
swim,
may
soon
be
unavailable
for
any
use.
Those
pools
are
on
the
Alameda
County
Health
Department
watchlist
and
are
at
risk
of
being
closed.
Closure
was
previously
slated
for
January
1 of
this
year;
AUSD
has
been
able
to
delay
this
date
but
availability
of
the
Emma
Hood
facility
after
the
high
school
swim
season
concludes
should
not
be
presumed.
The
Lincoln
and
Franklin
pools
are
also
outdated,
and
they
may
well
fail
to
meet
Health
Department
standards.
The
loss
of
any
of
the
Alameda
public
pools
would
force
immediate
cutbacks
to
the
existing
aquatics
programs.
But
absent
some
investment
in
our
public
pools
Alameda
will
eventually
lose
the
use
of
these
facilities.
Alameda
is
sorely
in
need
of
a
new
pool.
The
time
has
come
to
develop
a
plan
to
bring
a
swim
center
to
our
community
and
execute
on
this
plan.
Thank
you
for
your
consideration.
Regards,
Bret
Jensen