Last year the Wallingford Playfield wading pool was one of many citywide where operations were reduced to three days a week. At the time, community members wondered if they could pay to keep the pool open additional days; the answer was yes, with a big caveat:
The City would welcome community support and would add days to the program through the season if communities across Seattle are able to come up with funding to supplement the program equally across the city – for example, to add one day per week throughout the season at every open wading pool. It is important that any supplemental funding be allocated equally in all neighborhoods.
Now the Parks Dept. has revised that policy and is actively seeking partners to help fund wading pool operations. According to a press release sent yesterday:
Parks hopes to expand the schedule to increase family recreational opportunities in a way that is economically and geographically equitable. Some communities may be more organized or have different access to funding sources, so Parks would pair wading pools as a way to ensure balanced and equal recreational opportunities across our city. Under this partnership, Parks would keep the wading pool open one additional day each week in the neighborhood from which the funds came, and Parks would select a second site that the contribution would fund as well.
Opportunities include:
- Sponsoring two wading pools one day per week through the summer at a cost of $8,800
- Sponsoring two wading pools for three days per week during the last two weeks of summer at a cost of $6,600
- Sponsoring a one day wading pool operation for a special event at a cost of $650
- Receiving recognition on the Seattle Parks and Recreation website
- Sponsoring an unfunded wading pool three days per week through the summer
For more information, or for organizations interested in a partnership with Parks and Recreation to provide more access to wading pools this summer, please contact Bill Dougherty, 206-684-7185, bill.dougherty@seattle.gov or Kathy Whitman, 206-684-7099, kathy.whitman@seattle.gov, no later than May 1, 2011.
