Many people have asked: �Is our municipal pool in Wyoming competitive with the pools of other communities?�
There are several things to consider about this question. First, are we trying to compare ourselves to Evendale, Sharonville, and/or Springdale? These communities have a large commercial tax base, whereas Wyoming is merely a �bedroom community�. Our largest businesses are the size of Spring Valley Bank or smaller. Therefore, whatever we do comes primarily from RESIDENTIAL tax dollars. This is certainly not true in Evendale or similar municipalities.
Then there is the issue of what we have access to. The Powel Crosley YMCA is only 1-3 miles from nearly every home in Wyoming, and they have an indoor Aquatic Center (which is struggling to survive financially, I hear). Why should we taxpayers bear the burden of an outdoor Aquatic Center, which will only be used by a handful of our residents, and over a period of just 3 months/year?
In addition to the YMCA (which I realize is not within Wyoming city boundaries but it sure is close by), Wyoming residents currently have three pools they can join � the MuniciPool, the Wyoming Swim Club, and the Golf Club swimming pool. When the so-called �experts� predict how many members will potentially join a pool in Wyoming, are they taking into account OUR parameters, such as the availability of 3 other pools within our borders besides the �city� one?
Lastly, there has been discussion about �non-residents� joining the Aquatic Center. The City Council minutes indicated that up to 10% of the membership may consist of non-residents. Who will these folks be? I doubt that any Woodlawn families would join � they have a beautiful pool about � mile from the Wyoming Recreation Center. It is only 3 years old and has a slide, wheelchair access, 6 lanes, and a diving area. Not only is it nice, but Woodlawn residents may join for a mere $65 per family per season. It�s difficult to imagine how they could justify Wyoming�s $250 seasonal membership fee.
In conclusion, when we talk about �competitiveness�, perhaps we should ask ourselves two questions:
What CAN we afford in Wyoming?
and
What do we WANT to afford?
I submit that the current design of the Aquatic Center, while very nice, is �overkill� for Wyoming�s needs and budget. In lieu of the pool being �competitive�, I�d like our municipal pool to be practical and within our budget, not a drain on tax resources.
And�if we design a pool that is nicer than the current municipal pool but not as elaborate as the Aquatic Center, it would FIT in the current centrally-located MuniciPool location WITHIN Wyoming�s city boundaries. Has anyone considered THAT option seriously?
Submitted by Debbie Bellman