As many of you know, we are still fighting for Splashes and Smiles to remain at The Pompano Beach Aquatic Center. If you are unaware of the situation, these are the brief facts:

1. The Pompano Piranhas Swim Team (a NON PROFIT organization) has pushed through a contract that excludes ANY other youth swim program from using the Pompano Beach Aquatic Center (PBAC), a PUBLIC pool, funded by taxpayers. This means we will be forced to relocate our program.

2. They have given us NO legitimate reason. They continue to state that we are competition, despite the fact that we are not a swim team.

3. Splashes and Smiles pays rent to use the PBAC. The Piranhas do not pay at all. Cutting our program out of the PBAC would result in a minimal loss of $5,000-$7,000 each fiscal year for the City of Pompano Beach.

4. We have run our program without a single issue for 7 years at the PBAC.

5. We have tried to negotiate, and make it work for everyone, but the Parks & Recreation Department continues to side with the Piranhas. They have yet to provide us with a legitimate explanation.

This is an injustice to local businesses, the families and community of Pompano Beach, and everyone with the same mission as us to END drowning in South Florida. It is a disgrace that anyone is competing to teach children to swim, with South Florida leading in the number of children drowning each year.

"Drowning is the second-leading cause of death for children 1 to 4 years old, outpaced only by birth defects, reports the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among the typical culprits: Lack of barriers. Lack of close supervision. Victims who can't swim." -- Sun-Sentinel, Feb 2014

Please let your voices be heard along with ours! We will do everything possible to continue to keep our program accessible to the community of Pompano Beach.

In addition to signing our petition, if you would like to voice your concerns separately, please email:

Mayor Lamar Fisher, Mayor at Large
lamar.fisher@copbfl.com

Vice Mayor Charlotte Burrie
charlotte.burrie@copbfl.com

Commissioner Barry Dockswell
barry.dockswell@copbfl.com

Commissioner Rex Hardin
rex.hardin@copbfl.com

Commissioner Barry Moss
barry.moss@copbfl.com

Commissioner Ed Phillips
ed.phillips@copbfl.com

Dennis Beach City Manager
Dennis.Beach@copbfl.com

As always, we are grateful for the constant support of all of our wonderful families and community.