Hi Tim,
I hope you are doing well. I stopped by the pool today to inquire about the Aqua Fit water exercise class at Belle Haven Pool. The staff mentioned that there are no printed flyers available and that all registration must be done online.
I have two seniors who are interested in enrolling, but they are not computer savvy. They only learned about the class because I received an email and shared the information with them. This highlights a broader concern about how information is reaching — or not reaching — members of our community.
During the construction of the pool, City staff and Council Members emphasized that this facility was intended to serve the Belle Haven community. However, it now appears that much of the promotion and programming—under the direction of Team Sheeper and City staff—are focused more on non-resident swim teams and individuals from outside Belle Haven. I want to respectfully remind you that this is our community’s public pool, and it should be accessible and welcoming to Belle Haven residents first and foremost.
Team Sheeper has held several meetings with Belle Haven residents, during which many community members shared thoughtful ideas on how to improve engagement and accessibility. Unfortunately, at the last meeting, your response—“We put it on the website”—felt dismissive of that input. Seniors and others in the community continue to express concern that their voices are not being heard and that their needs are being overlooked.
How do the City and Team Sheeper plan to promote Aqua Fit and similar programs to seniors who may not be digitally connected? And how will you make the registration process more accessible for those who are not comfortable navigating online systems?
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your efforts to make the pool more inclusive and responsive to the Belle Haven community.
Best regards,
Eduardo
Belle Haven Resident for 25 years
