Thank you to everyone who came out to speak for the pool last night! We had old and young, from near and far, working together to tell the story of this pool, its place in civil rights history, and its meaning for our community. Watch the 60 minutes of public comments starting at time stamp 1:41:20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qJILDtgCSI

Some of the speakers were wearing these beautiful blue "Friends of Piney Branch Community Pool" T-shirts, made by Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington (ACSGW), for the Lunch and Learn summer camp kids (and others who spoke out last night). There were about 25 speakers testifying to the importance of the pool (and only one nay-sayer). 

Some factual details we learned during the public comments, and during the presentation by MCPS, and the work session on the City's draft resolution:

1) The new Silver Spring Aquatic Center will NOT take summer camp groups, so the County cannot argue that these kids can just get on a bus and go there instead. 

2) The City Council is working on a resolution in favor of option 4a (complete raze and rebuild), for a vote at City Council next Wednesday. 

3) Option 4a does NOT have the adult-sized gym we currently have (3a does), and which is part of the legacy of the community school vision (along with the pool). But MCPS says they are preparing options with or without adding that larger gym to option 4a.

4) The cost associated with each option is currently being prepared by MCPS for the Superintendent, but they said it wasn't ready for last night's meeting. However, they did say it could cost 15% extra to add a pool to the new school in option 4a. 

5) ACSGW is already working on improvements to the pool's signage, publicity, programming, and management. 

Onward! Please send your testimony today (whether or not you gave it in person) to the city clerk and ask her to distribute it to the Council: jessiec@takomaparkmd.gov. The next steps will be advocacy with the Superintendent, Board of Ed, and County Council. More soon.

Stay cool, and enjoy our community pool!