Swim fee is a bargain

I got a bit of a chuckle over the new $1 charge for kids to swim at Spokane pools. When I moved from the Chicago suburbs 10 years ago, my community park district sold pool passes to residents to use at its two outdoor pools, ON TOP of the tax dollars we already paid to the district.

Checking the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District Web site this morning, I see that the passes are being sold at a rate of $150 for families, $75 for adults and $70 for children. You must show proof of residence in the district; otherwise, you pay an additional 50 percent.

My kids and I spent many a weekend afternoon or weekday evening at the pools, and I can attest to the fact both were always crowded. The population of the Homewood-Flossmoor area is right around 25,000 and the pools were always in wonderful condition. It takes money to maintain pools, and tax dollars don’t always cover the costs, no matter how tight a budget is maintained. Compared to what we paid and what people pay in other communities, a buck is quite the bargain.

Margi Domme

Athol, Idaho