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Residents urge San Dimas council to keep community pool open, citing health and social benefits
Summary
Multiple residents and long-time pool users told the council during public comment that closing the San Dimas pool would harm seniors and people with mobility issues, citing physical therapy, water aerobics and social connections as reasons to preserve funding and programs.
Several San Dimas residents used public comment on April 8 to urge the City Council not to close the community pool, describing the classes and activities as essential to health, mobility and social connection for older adults.
A retired trauma nurse who identified himself in the record as Larry Morre told the council the pool community is a ‘‘family’’ that supports members through health crises, births and losses, and said closing the facility would damage the community and seniors' quality of life. "We are now in our golden years and bring a lot to the table," he said.
Other commenters described long-term personal reliance on pool programs. "I've been going for probably at least 10 years. I have a lot of health issues and it's kept me going," Molly Dolbeck said, speaking of water-aerobics. Christine Anderson said she had used the pool for 15 years after two knee replacements and added that patrons would be willing to pay a modest fee to help keep programs running. Kim Kretzer described returning to yoga and pool walking after a severe bike injury and said the activities were critical to ongoing recovery and mobility.
City staff clarified that the pool closure topic was not on the night's posted agenda and therefore council could not discuss or take action under the Brown Act at that meeting; staff said residents' concerns would be referred to staff and could be set for consideration on a future agenda when the item is formally scheduled.
The council did not take action on the pool at the April 8 meeting. Residents asked the council to prioritize finding funds or options to maintain pool programs for seniors and people with mobility limitations; staff and council indicated the issue would be addressed on a later agenda where formal discussion and potential direction could occur.
