I am writing this letter to encourage everyone to vote yes on the Renton School Bond. You probably received your ballots in the mail this past week for the April 17 vote. The approval of this bond will do a couple of great things for our schools. For one it will provide funding to help with our overcrowded middle schools, and second it will provide capital for necessary renovations of the Lindbergh pool. I would like to focus on the importance of improvements to the Lindbergh pool. As someone who grew up in Renton and was a competitive swimmer for the entire time I was in school, I can say from personal experience that these pools were a huge part of my life, time, and education.  Being a swimmer helped me developed a deep since of community, helped build my self confidence, and is a major reason I succeed in school. Voting yes will provide Lindbergh pool a roof, and upgrades in the heating, ventilation and electrical systems it desperately needs.

Lindbergh has raised rates in order to keep the pool active; lesson enrollment is at an all-time high, making it even more important to get the facility to safety standards.

What does this mean for you as a community member? Well, here are some quick facts about our pools. They are ADA accessible, open over 7,000 hours per year to the public, and employs over 80 people. Over 11,000 people take lessons annually at these 2 pools ranging from toddlers to adults. Averages of 140 lifeguards are trained each year and more than 150 community members learn CPR every year.

Again, these are a few reasons I am encouraging you to vote YES on The Renton School Bond. We have a limited number of pools in the area, indoor pools are even fewer. Swim teams to aerobic classes, swim lessons to free swims; the benefits are well worth your vote.

Mary Clymer

Renton