Dear Hive Mind,

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@stephanie I think people without kids can have opinions about kids!You might have cousins, nieces, nephews! :+)

Stéphanie

@chris I voted for the first poll! As I said, I do think it's a basic service, and every kid should be able to learn how to swim! And with climate change, be able to cool down.

However, it would not be a deal breaker for myself

Camerondotca

@chris @stephanie learning to swim is a life skill that should be taught PRECISELY because there are lakes and rivers.

🚲

@chris I grew up in one. There was a public pool but it was a private enterprise (attached to a golf course and, ironically, now owned by the town since the town ended up buying said golf course when it went bankrupt). I never really learned how to swim beyond a “doggy paddle out of the deep end” level, and I wonder if these two facts are related.

Idealistic Pragmatist :mstdn:

@chris also, we used to BE kids! @stephanie

Russell Phillips

@chris I'm in a bigger city than that, but I have a relevant story.

Several years ago a local kid died while swimming in a lake. That prompted a huge local campaign to teach kids how to swim.

The primary school my kid went to got a temporary pool installed so they could do lessons.

So yes, I think swimming lessons, taught in a safe environment, are important.

Kevin Leecaster

@chris
What's the construction cost and annual expenses?

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@GreenFire Unknown at this point as it goes around in rhetorical circles.

http

@chris Yes, and I say this as someone who doesn't use pools. Just because they don't serve /me/ doesn't mean they don't serve the /community/.

Jen

@chris it would not occur to me to check. I'd assume everywhere had a pool, or was close enough to somewhere that had one.

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@http thank you for not being a selfish old grumpy 'taxpayer' like some other people I know! Imagine it not being only about "me”!

Kevin Leecaster

@chris
Yes, I understand but tax receipts are often limited in smaller towns in my experience so it's hard to have an opinion on what they should spend it on.

Never having lived in a community with a public pool probably also makes it difficult for me to have a clue what your town should do in that regard too perhaps.

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@RPBook THIS IS EXACTLY THE SCENARIO. Why does some poor child have to die before some people realize swimming lessons are important??

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@dx I bet they are!

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@IPEdmonton @stephanie imagine remembering THAT lol

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@camerondotca @stephanie YES!!

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@GreenFire Let's say if your tax bill was $400 a year and it added $50.

Russell Phillips

@chris I have no idea. We took our kids to swimming lessons at a very early age. Quite apart from any safety angle, it was fun

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@RPBook Yes! Imagine doing something because it is a good safe thing but also because it opens up a lot of very fun things for children and future adults!

Celeste Ryder 🐾 🐀🏳️‍🌈

@chris I said yes because while my own town may not have one, that’s fine with me as long as there are facilities nearby. I wouldn’t live anywhere where there isn’t *anything* nearby.

I also don’t think year-round is a necessity. An outside pool during the summer does the trick. I grew up in Montreal, and every neighborhood throughout the region had its outside pool, sometimes more. I was really surprised when I moved to the NCR to see there are barely any pools anywhere.