Woodinville pool fans plead their case

Northshore's supply of pools is drying up, with King County set to close one at the end of the year, and the city of Woodinville ready to shutter another in the next 14 months.

More than 50 attended the Woodinville City Council meeting Monday night to press for solutions to the coming pool shortage.

Unless regional partners agree to pay about $260,000 to keep Northshore Pool in Bothell open, King County will close it at year's end.

That creates problems for the Woodinville and Bothell high schools' swimming and diving teams, who use the pool for practice and meets.

Woodinville High School junior Peter Doblar scolded the council for not agreeing to take over pool operations. "All our effort is about to be wasted. The pool is about to be summarily closed without a whisper from this council," he said.

Dr. Edward LaCava, an endocrinologist whose daughter is on the Woodinville swim team, said the city has a public-health interest in supporting the pool. "I'm concerned about exploding rates of (childhood) obesity and diabetes," which could be ameliorated, he said, by exercises like swimming.

Council members said the city doesn't own the property and can't afford to operate it. They encouraged residents to join with other cities and the county to find a regional solution.

However, the council did not specify how much it would be willing to contribute to any regional effort, if at all.

"I think we all know our children are the future," Mayor Scott Hageman said, his voice breaking with emotion.

"If people will come to the table, I think the outlook is good; if they don't, I'm afraid it's not," said Karen Reed, the county's point person on parks and pools, in a telephone interview.

Residents might also turn to the Northshore Parks and Recreation Service Area, which could issue bonds to operate the pool on Bothell-Everett Highway. That would require ballot approval, however.

Service-area representatives are meeting with swimming advocates and Northshore School District and King County officials tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. at the Bothell Senior Center. The school district includes Bothell, Woodinville and Kenmore.

Meanwhile, Sorenson Pool, which the city of Woodinville bought in February, is a "money pit," said Pete Rose, city manager. "We're being nickeled and dimed to death on it."

The city has spent $40,000 in repairs to the pool. A report prepared by Tres West Engineering of Tacoma concluded that the pool, which the YMCA operates, "is generally nearing the end of its useful life."

The council directed the city Parks and Recreation Commission to close the pool once a $60,000 cap on maintenance is reached, or at the end of 2003, whichever comes first.

Bob Padgett, developer of Allstar Fitness/Woodinville Athletic Club, told the council that he is negotiating with to rent his club's pool to the Northshore district, and he could do the same for the city and its Sorenson Pool users.

The council directed the parks commission to begin negotiations.

J. Patrick Coolican: 206-464-3315 or jcoolican@seattletimes.com.