The city council made the official announcement today confirming the Leisure Square pool will remain open. I am honestly in shock that we reached this outcome and I know this belongs entirely to the people who spoke up to protect our neighborhood resource.
August 12, 2019
Final supporters
We, the undersigned residents of Vero Beach and Indian River County urge the City Council to abandon plans to shut down the pool at Leisure Square, Vero Beach’s only pool.[1]
We call on the City Council to recognize the public service the pool provides by hosting and promoting:
- Special Olympics Swim Meets
- Senior citizen swim classes
- Summer programs for children of working adults
- Child and adult swim classes, which in turn support local swim instruction businesses
- Water sports such as underwater hockey
- Opportunities for swimming by community members, including disabled persons, without a pool of their own
- Personal wellness and family engagement for community members through exercise classes and recreational swimming
We call on the City Council to preserve the pool for its vital role in promoting public safety. Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States. [2] Children ages 1 to 4 have the highest drownings, with risk factors including a lack of swimming ability and close supervision. One of the best way to ensure children do not drown, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Pool Safely campaign, is to enroll children in learn-to-swim programs.[3] Community pools like the Leisure Square pool and the swim instructors who teach there provide a public safety service, a service now threatened by the council’s plan to close Vero Beach’s only pool.
In the present budget report, the city includes the slogan “The Benefits of Recreation Are Endless” and lists benefits of recreation as:
- improvement of personal wellness
- stronger and healthier families,
- enrichment for persons with disabilities,
- and enhancement of attractive resources for those outside of our community.
We, the undersigned, agree with these statements and call on the City Council support their proclamations with deeds, starting with keeping the Leisure Square pool open, indefinitely.
Finally, we the undersigned reject the false choice of maintaining the Leisure Square pool or funding the proposed skate park. We insist that the pool remains funded and plans to build a skate park proceed.
*Those who wish to remain informed on this issue are encouraged to like and follow our Facebook page here
[1] The Mayor told TCPalm that Vero Beach shouldn’t be “in the pool business anymore” Colleen Wixon, "Vero Beach closing Leisure Square swimming pool Jan. 1, building a skate park in its place," TC Palm, July 12, 2019
[2] Center for Disease Control and Prevention, "Unintentional Drowning: Get the Facts”
[3] Howard Cohen, “Florida lost more children to drowning than any state – Here’s how to change that,” Miami New Times, January 9, 2018
Updates
July 20, 2019
I truly never imagined that five hundred people would care about this pool as much as I do. Seeing this number is overwhelming and it is entirely because of your help. Thank you for showing that our community values this space.
Reached 500 supporters
July 20, 2019
Reached 100 supporters
July 14, 2019
372 Comments
Our Foster Son who attended Vero Beach High School had his swimming practice at Leisure Sq. and we know that the Swim Team was very instrumental in his development into a fine young man. Please think about the health and safety of our youth.
I’m 52 years old. I be been living in Vero Beach since the age of 7. I learned to swim in this pool. My daughter is on the VBHS swim team and now swims there. That pool is a part of this town. Please don’t let Mayor Zudans destroy this valuable part of our community.
I am a disabled veteran and I use the pool classes as water therapy, recommended by the VA, every week. As a council member, would you close this pool if it benefited your own family members? Think of your community FIRST, not the money.
I am a member of Friends After Diagnosis, a support group for women with cancer. We have a deep water aerobics program at Leisure Square pool. Our women love it and receive so many benefits from it. PLEASE consider all options to keep our pool open. THANK YOU.
Public pools serve a diverse array of residents, young and old, but seniors are unlikely to make use of a skate park. Consider the demographics of Vero's citizens, present and future, and the likelihood of hotter summers to come - an accessible pool could help retain residents.
Please don’t close the pool .. many families depend on it opend. Thank you
This pool is important for many reasons .
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The city council made the official announcement today confirming the Leisure Square pool will remain open. I am honestly in shock that we reached this outcome and I know this belongs entirely to the people who spoke up to protect our neighborhood resource.
August 12, 2019
Final supporters
We, the undersigned residents of Vero Beach and Indian River County urge the City Council to abandon plans to shut down the pool at Leisure Square, Vero Beach’s only pool.[1]
We call on the City Council to recognize the public service the pool provides by hosting and promoting:
- Special Olympics Swim Meets
- Senior citizen swim classes
- Summer programs for children of working adults
- Child and adult swim classes, which in turn support local swim instruction businesses
- Water sports such as underwater hockey
- Opportunities for swimming by community members, including disabled persons, without a pool of their own
- Personal wellness and family engagement for community members through exercise classes and recreational swimming
We call on the City Council to preserve the pool for its vital role in promoting public safety. Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States. [2] Children ages 1 to 4 have the highest drownings, with risk factors including a lack of swimming ability and close supervision. One of the best way to ensure children do not drown, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Pool Safely campaign, is to enroll children in learn-to-swim programs.[3] Community pools like the Leisure Square pool and the swim instructors who teach there provide a public safety service, a service now threatened by the council’s plan to close Vero Beach’s only pool.
In the present budget report, the city includes the slogan “The Benefits of Recreation Are Endless” and lists benefits of recreation as:
- improvement of personal wellness
- stronger and healthier families,
- enrichment for persons with disabilities,
- and enhancement of attractive resources for those outside of our community.
We, the undersigned, agree with these statements and call on the City Council support their proclamations with deeds, starting with keeping the Leisure Square pool open, indefinitely.
Finally, we the undersigned reject the false choice of maintaining the Leisure Square pool or funding the proposed skate park. We insist that the pool remains funded and plans to build a skate park proceed.
*Those who wish to remain informed on this issue are encouraged to like and follow our Facebook page here
[1] The Mayor told TCPalm that Vero Beach shouldn’t be “in the pool business anymore” Colleen Wixon, "Vero Beach closing Leisure Square swimming pool Jan. 1, building a skate park in its place," TC Palm, July 12, 2019
[2] Center for Disease Control and Prevention, "Unintentional Drowning: Get the Facts”
[3] Howard Cohen, “Florida lost more children to drowning than any state – Here’s how to change that,” Miami New Times, January 9, 2018
Updates
July 20, 2019
I truly never imagined that five hundred people would care about this pool as much as I do. Seeing this number is overwhelming and it is entirely because of your help. Thank you for showing that our community values this space.
Reached 500 supporters
July 20, 2019
Reached 100 supporters
July 14, 2019
372 Comments
It’s important to have public swimming pools available for the community, especially in a town so close to the beach. Having access to safe places to learn to swim and practice swimming at all ages will keep ourselves and our neighbors safer when we venture out into the ocean.
Our Foster Son who attended Vero Beach High School had his swimming practice at Leisure Sq. and we know that the Swim Team was very instrumental in his development into a fine young man. Please think about the health and safety of our youth.
I’m 52 years old. I be been living in Vero Beach since the age of 7. I learned to swim in this pool. My daughter is on the VBHS swim team and now swims there. That pool is a part of this town. Please don’t let Mayor Zudans destroy this valuable part of our community.
I am a disabled veteran and I use the pool classes as water therapy, recommended by the VA, every week. As a council member, would you close this pool if it benefited your own family members? Think of your community FIRST, not the money.
I am a member of Friends After Diagnosis, a support group for women with cancer. We have a deep water aerobics program at Leisure Square pool. Our women love it and receive so many benefits from it. PLEASE consider all options to keep our pool open. THANK YOU.
Public pools serve a diverse array of residents, young and old, but seniors are unlikely to make use of a skate park. Consider the demographics of Vero's citizens, present and future, and the likelihood of hotter summers to come - an accessible pool could help retain residents.
Please don’t close the pool .. many families depend on it opend. Thank you
This pool is important for many reasons .
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It’s important to have public swimming pools available for the community, especially in a town so close to the beach. Having access to safe places to learn to swim and practice swimming at all ages will keep ourselves and our neighbors safer when we venture out into the ocean.