HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-02-26 Public Comment - H. Lee - Fwd_ Aquatics FaciltiyFrom:Helen H Lee
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Fwd: Aquatics Faciltiy
Date:Friday, October 2, 2026 9:00:04 AM
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From: Helen Lee <hyunyounglee76@gmail.com>Date: October 1, 2026 at 9:34:49 PM MDTTo: comments@bozeman-mt.govSubject: Aquatics Faciltiy
Dear City Commissioners,
I was very pleased to hear that the CIty Commission is considering prioritizingseveral community needs, especially a pool/aquatics center. I feel there is animmediate need for another year round pool in our community because thedemand on the current pool is high. The Bozeman swim center is shared betweenhigh school teams, club teams, lap swimmers, boating, masters, city swim lessons,private swim lessons, PE classes and aquatic exercisers. I am a former mastersswimmer and now a current lap swimmer, who comes to the pool four times aweek. I am also a mother of a former club swimmer. I've seen the pool used inmany instances. I have been there when the high school teams show up in themorning and they have 20+ swimmers in a lane, because they only had two lanes.I have seen the pool crowded with lap swimmers early in the morning and almostalways, mid-day. I've seen the lap swimmers having half the pool and the otherhalf going to families for rec swim. The swim center is well used and well loved.
The Swim Center is 50 meters by 20 yards.With only having one pool, that is theproper length (50 meters), this limits where folks, especially those training, canswim. Having been a former competitive swimmer, pool time is critical for theenhancement of swimmers. The athletes need access to a pool. When the swimcenter was closed for an extended period of time for repairs and renovations,where were the swimmers to go? When the swim center is closed for a swimmeet, where are the lap swimmers to go? The Swim Center did its best toaccommodate the community in these instances, but the options were limited. Aclub team built their own temporary pool in a warehouse, so their swimmers couldget the proper training everyday. Regardless if you're a competitive swimmer, lapswimmer or aqua jogger, the pool is important to all of us...to the community.
Bozeman is growing rapidly. We see it in homes/condos being built, kidsattending schools, articles in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal,
and the traffic in our streets. We can't stop the growth of our city, but we cansupport it by building up our infrastructure. Over the last 10 years, many small,
treasured mountain communities were discovered and people moved there. Whywouldn't they! My family and I moved here eight years ago. My husband and I
first came to Bozeman in 2008 for a backpacking trip in Yellowstone. We neverforgot Bozeman. More people will come. Let's be ahead of the game, rather than
trying to catch up to our growing population.
Thanks for your time. --
-Helen Lee (Bozeman Resident)