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Resident asks why lifeguards staff wet zone but not Paddle Pointe Park, raises equity concerns
Summary
At the July 21 Rowlett City Council meeting, resident Dave Hole questioned why lifeguards are assigned to the wet zone but not Paddle Pointe Park, alleging the park's users are largely lower-income and calling for the city to consider free passes or re-evaluate funding and approvals for the wet zone.
Dave Hole of Rowlett told the council he was alarmed that lifeguards staff the wet zone but not Paddle Pointe Park, where he says the risk is greater. "Why are there no lifeguards at Paddle Point Park where the risks and dangers are greater?" he asked during the public-comment segment.
Hole said the wet zone had been moved to the parks department and into the general fund after an earlier city manager’s decision and suggested the facility may have been inappropriately reclassified from an enterprise-funded asset. He added an equity concern: "At Paddle Pointe Park, most of those in the water have brown and black skin and cannot afford the wet zone." Hole urged the council to examine whether the wet zone approval and funding structure were appropriate and suggested the city consider distributing free passes to route children to supervised aquatic facilities.
The mayor thanked Hole after his three-minute comment; no formal council action or staff direction was recorded on the record at that time.
