Owner/Moderator ~ Bill Leak wcleak@hotmail.com
Inglemoor H.S. men & women '98 & '03 parent

Website estab. 07/24/07 as a public-info forum re: plight, status, future of Northshore's pools.

GOAL ~ FOR THE KIDS, & raising awareness of the UNCERTAINTY of public swim facilities in Northshore.

What we know, & forcast:

Swimming is an ALL age, ALL capability, year round activity. Our population is aging & increasing, & public pools are NOT keeping up.

2011-13: King County's 1968-70 Forward Thrust bonds expire & the Northshore Pool (aka Ruiz-Costie, named for local '84 Olympian Synchro Swimmers) will revert to the property owner, currently Northshore School District (NSD).

NSD favors high school competitive swimming but not in owning/operating swim pool(s).

Northshore Pool is "HOME compete" pool for NSD's 3 high schools (BHS, WHS, IHS), supporting practice only for BHS & WHS.

IHS practices at Carole Ann Wald Pool, St Ed State Park, & is a
consistant core renter-user group from August to March. CAW is a great practice venue for high schools ~ doesn't meet competition regulation specs (size, & lacks diving & start blocks).

Northshore Pool also lies in the wake of a major redevelopment of Bothell's business core, part of an NSD-Bothell "Memo of Understanding (MOU)", the final terms & results of which are a work in progress.

NPRSA (website below) has a study underway to design & float an Aquatic Center facilities & operating bond via ballot in 2009.

Carole Ann Wald Pool is at risk, under flawed logic. Separate from NPRSA consideration, base-supported by owner WA State Parks, it has been annually and collaboratively budgeted for & subsidized by City of Kenmore ($25k or $1.25 per citizen), plus Bastyr U, & Evergreen Hospital.

CoK implies, with a new aquatic center, it may withdraw CAW funding; high school swimming begins to unravel.

SUPPORT BOTH Pools! Contact your NPRSA reps, & CoK City Council at "RELATED LINK" below this homepage blog: