Dear Community Member: Woodinville residents, civic groups, and business owners needs to weigh in on the regional aquatic issues that are being discussed in the Northshore Parks and Recreation Service Area. Three public meetings are being held; one each in Kenmore, Woodinville, and Bothell. Please consider attending one of these meetings to voice your opinion. Your ideas will help shape the recommendations and information that ultimately will be presented to City and County elected officials. Don’t let folks in other communities shape the future of public pools and aquatic facilities without a strong representation from the Woodinville area. Thanks for your time and consideration. Please see below for more information, including dates and locations. The Woodinville Meeting is January 30^th at 6:45 at Carol Edwards Center. If you are unable to attend this one, please attend one of the other meetings and forward this message to anyone who has an interest in the future of aquatics in the Northshore area.

Please RSVP to Lynda.Quinn@... or 425-486-3256.

I’ll plan to follow up by phone shortly, to hopefully confirm your participation.   Thank you, Lane

Important Community Forum & Feedback

Your  Participation Needed this Month!

Swimming is the 2^nd most popular form or exercise and recreation in Washington as well as the Northshore.  But just as popularity has grown in aquatic safety, health and recreation, our 3 public pools (built in the 1970’s) have closed, been torn down, or have aged and deteriorated to a point of great uncertainty about their future.  The Northshore is at an important crossroad and we need help from citizens and community leaders like you to help develop a solution.   Please join us!

Potential Multi-Use Aquatic Center for ALL

Community Conversation and Feedback - Mark your Calendar

Please join us for one evening - January 28th, 30^th, or 31^st

MEETING AGENDA

·        Needs Growing but Pools Closing/Expiring

      At a crossroad needs; status of existing facilities; how did we get here?

·        Multi-Use Aquatics – Broader Appeal

      Aquatic Trends & Opportunities – Competition Pool, Leisure/Wave Pools and Warm Water Therapy Pool;

·        Aquatics For All Ages

      Safety, Fun, Fitness, Health – Programming Opportunities for All – Discussion

·        Investing in Northshore Quality of Life – Accessible Recreation

      Options for Consideration – Type of Facilities, Site Location, Costs - Community Feedback

Bothell - Monday, January 28^th -- 6:45 p.m. – 9 pm

City of Bothell Police Department

Community Room

18410 - 101 Ave. N.E.

Bothell, WA   98011

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&addtohistory=&address=18410%2B101st%2BAve%2BNE&city=Bothell&state=WA&zipcode=&homesubmit.x=0&homesubmit.y=0

Woodinville - Wednesday, January 30^{th --} 6:45 p.m. – 9 pm

Evergreen Room, Building D, Carol Edwards Center

17401 133 Avenue NE, Woodinville

http://www.ci.woodinville.wa.us/ContactUs/DrivingDirections.asp 

Kenmore - Thursday, January 31^st -- 6:45 p.m. – 9 pm

Northshore Utility District

6830 N.E. 185 St. Kenmore, WA 98028

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=6830+NE+185th+St,+Kenmore,+WA&t=h&ll=47.765465,-122.248993&spn=0.022558,0.079565&t=h

Please set aside just one evening to join others for strong community representation from across the Northshore Parks and Recreation Service Area.  Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting closest to their community, but you are welcome to attend one of the other meetings if the other dates work better for your schedule.  Please RSVP to Lynda.Quinn@... or 425-486-3256.

Additional Background:

Sorenson Pool in Woodinville closed in 2003 and was torn down – the area’s only warm water therapy pool.  King County discontinued operations of St. Edwards Pool in Kenmore and the Northshore Pool in Bothell as a cost-saving measure in 2001.  Both St. Edwards and Northshore pools are aged and deteriorating and currently operated in a year-to-year agreement with a non-profit agency and funded by a consortium of cities and agencies.  The Forward Thrust Bond, passed back in the 1968, is nearly paid off, the lease is due to expire, and ownership will revert to the property owner by the end of 2010.  

Last year, the city councils in Bothell, Kenmore and Woodinville agreed to consider possible options for a regional aquatics center as part of the Northshore Parks and Recreation Service Area (PRSA) that also includes unincorporated areas of King and Snohomish counties.  The three cities joined together with King County, Snohomish County, the Northshore School District and Northwest Center (operator of the current Northshore Pool) to form a regional working group.

Three years ago, an initial study was conducted to assess the aquatic needs and interests in a regional aquatic facility.  Building on that study, the regional working group has come together to explore and bring forward more specific options for community consideration.  Our goal is to work with citizens and the communities within the PRSA to hopefully build consensus on a potential site, agree on the general scope and scale of a multi-purpose aquatic facility, and review the likely costs and financial feasibility. 

It’s an ambitious undertaking and we can’t do it without feedback from involved citizens like you.  We hope to continue further community conversations and receive community feedback in the first half of 2008 -- in time for elected leaders to assess whether it’s time to advance a ballot measure for voters in the Northshore PRSA to consider.

Lane Youngblood

Director of Parks and Recreation

City of Woodinville

17301 133 Avenue NE

Woodinville, WA 98072

425-489-2700 x 2286

425-489-2705 (fax)