The Editor,
Re. "Speak up on outdoor PoCo pools" (The Tri-City News, Feb. 20).
So last week I opened up some mail to find the city of Port Coquitlam is "Planning the Future of our Outdoor Pools."
Having grown up in Lincoln Park, Sun Valley Pool is a staple in my memories. I grew up on Evergreen Street and Sun Valley was just a short walk away. My mom used to take us to the wading pool every day it was sunny in the summertime. I still remember the old fire truck at the park and the long metal slide that still remains.
After relocating to Mission for five years, we missed home and last summer, we moved back to PoCo, back to Lincoln Park, where I grew up.
As a mom of two children aged four years and six months, and a healthy lifestyle blogger, I'm an avid advocate for health, wellness and kids' health. I've always been proud of the city I grew that has a large focus on health in the community.
Now, I must admit, I feel some disappointment. This pool proposal is contradictory to what I thought were the city's values. Closing community pools could potentially mean less physical activity and fun for neighbourhood children, and with a nationwide obesity epidemic, you would think providing activities that get children active would be a priority.
While I do appreciate spray parks, if you ask most kids, they would pick going in the pool over the spray park any day. Small kids tend not to enjoy the spray parks as much. The water is freezing and on the odd occasion, the bigger kids take over the equipment.
I understand that with PoCo being a growing community, that means increased costs but all I ask is that the city doesn't lose sight of the little things - like our pools - that have made our city so great and made people want to stay in PoCo to raise their own children.
I hope closing some outdoor pools is reconsidered. There are already few enough places to take small children outdoors in the summer as most playgrounds aren't very toddler-friendly.
Kristine Fretwell
Port Coquitlam
