Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Help Bring Back the Splash

Donate Now to Help Reopen Seven Closed Pools 

The Tucson Parks Foundation and the Tucson Parks and Recreation Department need your help to reopen city pools which have been closed since the 2009 City budget reductions. Community and business partnerships along with donated funds will afford additional pools to open for summer 2012 swim programs.
 
The Department, in concert with the Tucson Mayor and Council and community partners, has started the "Bring Back the Splash" campaign to open one pool at a time. Our community partners and donors will benefit by helping us achieve our goal to continue to provide programs, swim lessons, youth employment and overall physical health and quality of life to the community. To date, additional funding has been secured to operate four summer season pools; including a $25,000 donation from the Catalina Rotary to partially fund the summer operation at Jacobs pool.  Purple Heart, Menlo and Mansfield pools will also open this summer.
 
The City's Summer Splash pools hosted over 3000 swim-lessons and 100,000 swimming participants in the summer of 2009.
 
Our quest is to open an additional seven city pools for summer swim in 2012, which requires $40,000-
$60,000 for each pool for a full-summer operation and maintenance needs. 
 
Crissy Perham, three-time swimming Olympic Gold Medalist has joined the effort and reminds the community that Arizona is ranked #2 in the nation for child drownings.  These tragedies can be prevented when Tucsonans have access to the quality swim programs provided at Parks and Recreation facilities.  
 
Donations can be made online at: www.tucsonparksfoundation.org 
or by mailing to: 
 
Tucson Parks and Recreation Department 
900 S. Randolph Way
Tucson, AZ 85716.
 
Individuals, organizations and businesses are encouraged to contact Parks and Recreation for information
by calling 791-4877, emailing:SummerSplash@tucsonaz.gov, or visiting: http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/parksandrec/aquatics 
 
Individuals, 16 years and older interested in being Lifeguards are encouraged to apply athttp://www.tucsonaz.gov/sigma/JobListings.aspx  or call 791-4245 for training and job details.                      

Tucson 12's Bring Back the Splash in English
 
Tucson 12's Bring Back the Splash in Spanish