50 replies to this topic

[camay2327]

Can you believe this??? Wow, you build a pool for the High School and can't use it????


http://www.sacbee.co...ory/747032.html

Everyone out of the pool
New Folsom high school's pool caught in funding tug-of-war
By Bob Walter - bwalter@sacbee.com

Last Updated 9:57 am PST Thursday, February 28, 2008

What if they built a swimming pool and nobody came? Or, more to the point, nobody was able to use it? That is the case at Vista del Lago High School in Folsom, where the sparkling new -- if pretty chilly -- pool is going unused while swim team members are bused to practice at the city's aquatic center in Lembi Park.

Debbie Bettencourt, deputy superintendent of the Folsom Cordova Unified School District, said it was a financial move -- and, it is hoped, a temporary one.

She said it costs about $150,000 a year to operate a swimming pool like Vista's. The cost of heating the pool from March 1 to May 1, for example, would be about $25,000.
...

[Solartide]

[mylo]

Uhm.. sounds like a smart idea. How much does it cost to run it during the summer? Less than it costs to bus them somewhere feasable, I hope.

[ducky]

That's also bad news for any of the public that were hoping there would be swimming lanes cleared up at the aquatic center when the high school swim team could practice in their own pool.

I haven't gone in a while, but last time I did I ended up getting my $5 back and leaving because I waited half an hour for a lane to open and it never did. They only left two lanes available for the public to swim in during the evening lap hours.

[tgianco]

Yeah, we've got this little, teensy budget issue at the city, state and federal levels. If it's not too much to ask of all of you not to spend more than you bring in (that's right, asking for a little self-restraint for the first time), it might alleviate things a tad and not screw future generations.

Then again, who cares about the future?

Addressing budget issues has to start somewhere, so I'm happy to see someone doing something, even if it's a small gesture in the big scheme of things.

You all don't know how screwed all of are, do you? It's bad, and it's gonna get worse.

[supermom]

Well, what if the school opens the pool for the summer and charges the same rate as the Aquatic center? Season passes also?

They may not be able to use the pool this spring--but what about next spring?
I think the school could generate quite a bit of business that way.

Personally I think it would be great to have another community pool in Folsom--there are just way too many people at Lembi on any given day.

[Dave Burrell]

Well, what if the school opens the pool for the summer and charges the same rate as the Aquatic center? Season passes also?

They may not be able to use the pool this spring--but what about next spring?
I think the school could generate quite a bit of business that way.

Personally I think it would be great to have another community pool in Folsom--there are just way too many people at Lembi on any given day.

Very good suggestion! As a kid growing up, we always went to our local H.S. pool to swim during the summer and it was nice.

[EDF]

This thread should be merged with the one on FCUSD budget cuts...

You should go to SACBEE.com and read some of the comments from readers...

The one that really sticks out is why we aren't using Solar energy to heat the pool... seems like a reasonable question doesn't it...

I saw lots of blue sky in the picture...

Another point was a posters comment that this pool was built for only "23" people on the swim team... something like over $103,000 per brat...?

I mean what is the school district thinking...

Like someone said before... it should be a community pool just like the one on Lembi...

[forumreader]

It is a shame that there was not greater foresight in deciding to build this pool to the tune of $3 million.

I wonder how much income might be generated by opening the pool to the community in the spring and summer? I agree that the Aquatic Center at Lembi is overcrowded.

[forumreader]

This thread should be merged with the one on FCUSD budget cuts...

It is a separate, yet related, issue. We'll move this thread into the same forum as the budget cuts thread.

[cw68]

I'm sure there are liability issues in opening up the pool to the public. Besides, the aquatic center loses money each year and taking people from the aquatic center would just make it worse.

The pool doesn't have solar heat? Are you serious?

[john]

EDF, Solar energy doesn't work in the winter. It works great in spring and summer, but in the winter it's not warm/sunny enough to keep a huge pool warm.

[forumreader]

I'm sure there are liability issues in opening up the pool to the public. Besides, the aquatic center loses money each year and taking people from the aquatic center would just make it worse.

Perhaps if fewer lanes were used by the swim team, more people would use the Aquatic Center. One of the primary reasons we joined BRC was for the swimming facilities.

Specifically, what type of liability issues might prevent the pool from being used by the public?

The library on campus will soon be shared by the public.

I remember that years ago, before the Aquatic Center was built, the City taught swimming lessons at the Sutter pool.

[EDF]

EDF, Solar energy doesn't work in the winter. It works great in spring and summer, but in the winter it's not warm/sunny enough to keep a huge pool warm.

John...

I know... but it's spring now.. and they want to close the pool cause they can't heat it...?

We've had some pretty decent weather in February... in fact I don't think we've even had a freezing temp all year....

just makes you wonder what were they thinking...

and the comment that a pool for only 23 swimmers that was posted on SACBEE.com sure stood out to me...

So are you saying we shouldn't throw some scorn at the school district...?

I think they are open to it....

[john]

EDF, it has to get a lot warmer to heat a pool, even when it's sunny out.

Solar heating for pools works like this -
If it's 65 degrees out like now, the warmest you could possibly get our pool is 65 degrees (and it would take a long time to heat it to that point). 65 degrees is a COLD pool. Summertime is no problem because it's always really warm. 80 degrees for a pool is no big deal when it's 90 out. It's cold, but you can get used to it.