City pools need more attention during pandemic

Iam in full agreement with the piece by Lawrence Fodor (“Bicentennial Pool is ready to open — now,” My View, July 5) asking why city officials have not opened up the city pools.

Of course our only public outdoor pool, Bicentennial Pool, would have been the most logical location to open in an earlier phase. I, too, have spoken directly with pool management at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center and Salvador Perez in late spring and early summer, inquiring about opening dates and expectations of following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines when our community was allowed to return to their favorite and passionate form of exercise in the pool.

I am a volunteer swim coach for a U.S. Masters Swim group known as High Altitude Masters. We have been an organized group of adult swimmers since 2005. Of course, I needed to stay informed of city plans to reopen city pools not only for my organized swim group but for every community member who depends on swimming as their prime modality of exercise.

Answers I received from pool management: They were ready to put their safety protocols in place, were keeping the pool water in tiptop shape and the completed remodel of Salvador Perez looked awesome. In the meantime, their specialty certified and trained staff had been moved to the parks and golf course or furloughed. There was concern vital vacated managerial positions were not going to be filled. In the meantime, Albuquerque

and Los Alamos opened their pools in early June with safety protocols and reservation systems in place.

My question is why was the golf course given priority over the public swimming pools and recreational facilities when the governor began the state’s phased reopening? Most of our private gyms and pools opened in early June with their safety measures in place.

It is understandable that when they do open, city recreational facilities will have to monitor their risk-reduction precautions, as well as each of us as responsible members of the greater community. The city returning to organized youth and adult programs and classes is still far, far off in the future.

I have been a member of the Santa Fe aquatic community for personal fitness, as an employee and planning committee member since 1990. I participated in groundfloor planning for the Fitness Center at Santa Fe Community College and provided input on the Chavez Center plans, adjusting the pool from a 25-yard competitive short course to 50-meter Olympic length. For a community this size, I have witnessed strong and committed aquatic participation at all pools throughout Santa Fe. I continue to be concerned our current city officials have not placed our aquatic facilities at a high priority as the rest of our community demonstrates.