Since Monday’s announcement that the Wallingford Playfield wading pool’s schedule would be reduced from seven to three days a week this summer, we’ve heard interest from readers and neighbors to know how much it costs to operate and whether the community could fund its operation.
Yes, the community could pay to have the wading pool open more days, we learned from Parks Department spokesperson Dewey Potter, but 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.
Potter said that the cost to operate the wading pool for one day is $304 — about half of this is for water and sewer services, the other half for staffing, supplies, and chemicals. The citywide wading pool budget originally was $439,000 for 2010; midyear reductions took away $204,851. The reduction from the Wallingford wading pool is $9,727.
If you think it’s important to open the wading pool more than three days a week, we’d love to hear your suggestions for raising funds.
The neighborhoods north of the ship canal should secede from Seattle.
“”It is important that any supplemental funding be allocated equally in all neighborhoods.””
seriously? the Park Dept. is worried about equality of WADING POOLS? If only the school district were as concerned with equality among the different neighborhoods.