As the Columbia Association's (CA) director of community planning and the lead CA team member responsible for the draft Aquatics Master Plan, I want to correct Mr. Blank's opening statement in his Feb. 9 letter to the editor when he stated that the CA Board's Planning and Strategy Committee "is eager to close" pools.
So your readers have all the facts, I want to be clear that the plan is a draft and has not yet been discussed with the CA Board. Mr. Blank's inaccurate statement lays blame at the wrong feet — the draft is the work of CA staff, not the board. The board is anticipated to discuss the plan on March 8 at its regularly scheduled board meeting, and we invite the public to attend. Please check the website (http://bit.ly/wikcoE) the week before to confirm the agenda.
In addition, Mr. Blank's use of "eager" is an unfortunate choice of words. Rather than being "eager" to close pools, CA is, in the case of Jeffers Hill Pool, suggesting new investments: one option would add a water playground to the existing facilities and the other would transform the entire facility into an interactive water park. As we plan for the year 2022 — when some of our existing pools will be more than 50 years old — we want to make sure that our aquatics facilities serve our whole community; that we have a wide variety of facility types; and that we keep our facilities fresh and attractive.
Public engagement has been extensive in the planning process and we encourage participation and discussion as the plan is reviewed and finalized. Visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/AquaticsMasterPlan to review the draft plan and supporting materials. Columbia welcomes diversity, respects the land and fosters the growth of individuals, and I am proud to be a part of this community. We won't always agree, but civil debate and dialogue are a foundation we can stand on together.
Jane L. Dembner
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