Why the community needs an aquatic center
It has been brought to my attention that there have been negative comments regarding a new aquatic center for Pueblo West. I speak for many Pueblo West individuals as well as myself.
There are those who view an aquatic center as just another swimming pool for recreation and therefore this is not a requirement to further the development of Pueblo West. This view is inaccurate and very non progressive for community development. Even though swimming pools have existed for recreational purposes in the past, recreation is only a small, but important function of an aquatic center.
Most aquatic centers provide multiple services to a community. These functions include, health and fitness, rehabilitation from disease, accident, surgery, birth and developmental disabilities. Also included are instructional swim lessons, lifesaving, competitive swimming, and of course recreation. We have a sizable retired population in Pueblo West and surrounding areas who suffer from arthritic conditions which limit their ability to gain health through fitness so that they can prevent heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
The safest and best activity for these individuals as well as others who have a need for rehabilitation includes hydrotherapy/fitness. Other types of health and fitness exercises are load bearing and agitate the pain that they already feel from their arthritic and or other conditions. I have a forty year old son who was hit by car this past June on McCulloch West, while he was cycle training for an Ironman competition. Now, with severe brain damage, his best mode for rehabilitation and fitness is aquatic therapy.
Pueblo County is behind in providing opportunities and services for their citizens. There are cities in Colorado with smaller populations that provide aquatic centers for their citizens. Why can’t Pueblo West? We have a greater potential for increased population and can provide all these aquatic services to all of Pueblo County with a proper aquatic center. A new aquatic center in Pueblo West can partner with hospitals, rehabilitation centers, educational institutions, fitness programs, and competitive swim and sports clubs that will generate revenue to fund the operations of the new Pueblo West Aquatic Center.
I hope that this letter brings understanding and education to all individuals who are not aware of the services that an appropriate aquatic center can provide for a community.
Cheryl Higdon Holloway, Pueblo West
More on why 6A is a bad idea
Well isn’t this interesting! When my insurance agent spoke about the ISO rating system and its impact on Pueblo West at our October 20th Libertarian Meeting, he indicated that the ISO rating system and the proximity of a fire station to a home is a very minimal factor in setting rates for homeowner’s insurance.
While the distance from a fire station used to be significant, now ratings and rates are spread across entire areas like Pueblo and Pueblo West simply by zip code so that nowadays, everyone within a given zip code is charged the same rate.
Apparently, it used to be significant years ago, but has been subordinated by bigger factors in Southern Colorado, such as hail damage.
So much for the exorbitant rates allegedly being borne by folks in Pueblo West because of a lack of a fire station within 5 miles. So much for the “need” for a “fire suppression” sales tax because of the ISO rating. One by one, the legs under the Pueblo West Metro District and the boards funding crisis table are being kicked out from under them. And yet PWMD is incredulous, wonders why they have no credibility, and why the people no longer trust them? Get a grip!
Again, while I would personally benefit from a new fire station South of Hwy 50, I will not support PWMD’s sales tax proposal until and unless they start leveling with the taxpayers, contemplating alternatives, and start telling us the truth.
Gordon Carleton, Pueblo West
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