What are the issues?
Our kids aren’t learning how to swim. The Red Cross considers the national average for youth water competency at 39% to be a crisis, on Lopez our average is 9%.
Solution: Access to affordable, local, year-round swim lessons and swim programming in schools will ensure that all kids are competent swimmers by high school graduation!
There are limited venues for seniors to exercise for 50% of the year.
Solution: Year-round, affordable water exercise will encourage seniors to stay more active during the winter. Swimming helps the agin retain mobility, improves cardiovascular health, and creates connections, all factors for successful aging.
The injured and those living with chronic pain must travel at great expense to the mainland for aquatic therapy and to exercise in comfort.
Solution: Therapists and patients will have access to our super-heated therapy pool. Aquatic therapy has been shown to decrease rehabilitation time by 30-40%.
82% of kids have insufficient physical activity per the WA State Healthy Youth Survey 2016).
Solution: A pool will promote a culture of health and will offer kids and teens a safe, fun and healthy place to go year-round.
66% of adults have insufficient physical activity (WA Behavioral Risk Factor Survey 2013-2015).
Solution: Swimming not only improves cardio health and releases endorphins, but goes further in reducing stress than most other forms of exercise because of the calming sensory experience that comes with being submerged in water.