Dear PG Pool Board and Members, 

We, the undersigned petitioners, live near the PG Pool, yet are denied access to it. We request that you consider pathways to grant equitable and inclusive access to the PG Pool.     

The majority of neighbors are not able to access the pool. Some of us are friends with PG Pool members, and have been invited to enjoy the lovely facilities as periodic guests. But that access is biased towards the existing members’ social networks, perpetuating inequitable access. We believe most of the members want to advance an equitable and inclusive community.  As your website states, the PG Pool “seeks to provide a welcoming setting for all… and to be a good neighbor.”   Yet, we feel there is so much frustration in the neighborhood about the lack of access. Pool members, especially those who live further away, may be unaware of the level of frustration. As the local graffiti art showcases, “Some day I’ll be a member of the PG Pool” is a local joke, highlighting the disappointment felt throughout the neighborhood. 

We understand there are valid reasons for the membership structure.  We trust your community is full of capable problem-solvers. While Community Day is appreciated by some neighbors, others feel it’s an uncomfortable reminder of their lack of access for the rest of the summer.  The specific concerns we have are: 

1. Limited membership and waitlists exceeding 10 years prevent the majority of neighbors from joining;
2. High cost prevents lower income families from joining the community;
3. Historic racial injustices shaped the membership’s racial and economic composition. Those injustices carry forward to the current composition of membership.  Only 18% of the residents of Mt. Rainier and Brentwood are white, yet white members appear to comprise around 90% of the PG Pool membership; 
4. Neighbors on the streets alongside the pool must endure the traffic and noise and yet do not even have the option to join due the incredibly long waiting list, and many cannot afford the cost;
5. Feeling a loss of access from a wonderful amenity and a barrier to community, when walking by.  

Some of the solutions we believe are worth exploring: 

1. Open up day passes with an online reservation system for people to book with some spots reserved for members. Include limits on the number of reservations each non-member household can make in one month to expand access to as many Mount Rainier families as possible.  Members could be given protections such as: allocation of reserved spots and walk-in slots.   
2. Day pass fees can be on a sliding scale with either a volunteer requirement or an option to secure lower-cost passes in exchange for volunteer time. Tracking the daily attendance through a reservation system and the revenue from day passes, can inform adjustments needed to make the budget work for the pool.
3. Allocate a minimum number of spots on weekends for people from historically underserved communities. You can report data on historically disadvantaged patrons to demonstrate progress and use to inform additional adjustments. 

Other ideas that have been proposed are listed below. In addition to seriously exploring some of these options, we hope you engage the Mount Rainier and Brentwood community to explore the current sentiments and reactions to proposals and progress.  Thank you for considering these suggestions.  As your neighbors, we are grateful that you’ve created such a wonderful community center and we hope to see you there soon.   

Sincerely, 

Your neighbors 

P.S. Here are some more ideas that folks think are worth exploring:

1. Offer preferential access to those who live immediately near the pool. (Note, the drafters of this letter do not fall into this category of stakeholders, so we suggest engaging them for their preferred suggestions.)
2. Ask members who do not live in the surrounding mile or who haven’t come to the pool in a while to step down and open up space for a more diverse, equitable, and local community asset. Those members could be celebrated with a note and/or celebratory event to acknowledge their contributions to the pool’s DEI goals. Since they are long-time members, they will certainly have friends who can always invite them as their guests, so not losing access while gaining an investment in equity.   
3. Fundraisers for the sliding scale option - allowing people with means to contribute.
4. Engaging the local and county government for options to contribute funding in exchange for access to all their residents 
   Local Business BBQ Day - where local businesses sponsors a party and get a booth to showcase their businesses.