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Letters to Park Board in support of keeping Templeton Pool Open were written by MLA Shane Simpson, MP Jenny Kwan, and the Hastings Community Association. These letters are reproduced here for reference.
Further information about the "VanSplash" report that may result in the closure of community pools such as Templeton can be found on the City of Vancouver's website.
vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/vansplash-aquatics-strategy.aspx
Further information about the "VanSplash" report that may result in the closure of community pools such as Templeton can be found on the City of Vancouver's website.
vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/vansplash-aquatics-strategy.aspx
November 30, 2017
Dear Vancouver Park Board Commissioners,
I am writing this to you on behalf of Hastings Community Association and in the interests of the entire Hastings Sunrise community regarding the Vansplash proposal to decommission Templeton pool.
The Vansplash survey was flawed and did not capture the picture of what this segment of our community truly wants or needs. For one thing, many seniors and children have limited access to the technology to complete the survey. Those who did complete the survey found it quite leading as it did not directly get at the issue of the importance of having a local community pool. It seemed that the questions were phrased in a manner that would get the desired results for Vansplash. Consequently, as a community, we feel strongly that our concerns have not been heard. It feels as though staff and consultants do not fully understand the negative impact on our community the closing of Templeton pool would have.
Dear Vancouver Park Board Commissioners,
I am writing this to you on behalf of Hastings Community Association and in the interests of the entire Hastings Sunrise community regarding the Vansplash proposal to decommission Templeton pool.
The Vansplash survey was flawed and did not capture the picture of what this segment of our community truly wants or needs. For one thing, many seniors and children have limited access to the technology to complete the survey. Those who did complete the survey found it quite leading as it did not directly get at the issue of the importance of having a local community pool. It seemed that the questions were phrased in a manner that would get the desired results for Vansplash. Consequently, as a community, we feel strongly that our concerns have not been heard. It feels as though staff and consultants do not fully understand the negative impact on our community the closing of Templeton pool would have.
The numbers of how many people use the pool shown in the report is inaccurate for several reasons. One reason is because it did not include several programs that are run out of Templeton Pool. For one thing, there are a number of programs run through Hastings Community Centre that are not included in the count, such as a very popular a triathlon program called Exceleration. The number of kids in the two swim clubs that use the pool, Super Sharks Swim and Gators, was also not reflected in the report. Further to this, there are several programs that take place in Templeton’s activity room, such as yoga and Mother Goose, that the report did not capture. These totals add up to 386,590 visits over the years or approximately 9664 visits per year that are not all captured in the Vansplash survey. See accompanying document for further details on some of the programs.
Furthermore, we are surprised that HCA was not consulted in any meaningful way regarding the proposal being put forward by Vansplash to decommission Templeton pool considering that it is such an important pillar of our east Vancouver neighbourhood and considering that a significant portion of our programing takes place at Templeton Pool.
Please consider the negative long term implications that demolishing Templeton pool could have on the physical and mental health of some of the most vulnerable members of our community that frequent the pool. Seniors, children, people with limited mobility, people living on limited incomes, and the trans community all frequent this small, intimate and safe environment for physical, mental and social benefits. This pool contributes is significant ways to the health and well-being of this community. Approving its decommissioning would have lasting negative effects.
We are calling on you the commissioners to step into a leadership role with this and become involved in better understanding the immediate and long term damage the demolition of Templeton pool would have on our community. We invite you to visit our pool and to have further dialogue about this topic before a final decision is made.
Respectfully,
Jason McGarry
Hastings Community Association
Director
Community Relations Committee Member
The numbers of how many people use the pool shown in the report is inaccurate for several reasons. One reason is because it did not include several programs that are run out of Templeton Pool. For one thing, there are a number of programs run through Hastings Community Centre that are not included in the count, such as a very popular a triathlon program called Exceleration. The number of kids in the two swim clubs that use the pool, Super Sharks Swim and Gators, was also not reflected in the report. Further to this, there are several programs that take place in Templeton’s activity room, such as yoga and Mother Goose, that the report did not capture. These totals add up to 386,590 visits over the years or approximately 9664 visits per year that are not all captured in the Vansplash survey. See accompanying document for further details on some of the programs.
Furthermore, we are surprised that HCA was not consulted in any meaningful way regarding the proposal being put forward by Vansplash to decommission Templeton pool considering that it is such an important pillar of our east Vancouver neighbourhood and considering that a significant portion of our programing takes place at Templeton Pool.
Please consider the negative long term implications that demolishing Templeton pool could have on the physical and mental health of some of the most vulnerable members of our community that frequent the pool. Seniors, children, people with limited mobility, people living on limited incomes, and the trans community all frequent this small, intimate and safe environment for physical, mental and social benefits. This pool contributes is significant ways to the health and well-being of this community. Approving its decommissioning would have lasting negative effects.
We are calling on you the commissioners to step into a leadership role with this and become involved in better understanding the immediate and long term damage the demolition of Templeton pool would have on our community. We invite you to visit our pool and to have further dialogue about this topic before a final decision is made.
Respectfully,
Jason McGarry
Hastings Community Association
Director
Community Relations Committee Member
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