Comments from Leaders & Citizens

ELECTED OFFICIALS

"The City Master Plan has prioritized a pool at North Domingo Baca for many years. The community of District 4 has overwhelmingly expressed their desire to have a public place for their families to swim, both recreationally and therapeutically. It is one of my top priorities to obtain the funding to finally get this aquatic center built. Once completed, it will fulfill the need for equitable access in a part of the city where a public pool is missing. I am committed to doing it right and listening to my constituents. This facility will serve a large demographic from infants to seniors, and recreational swimmers to competitive swimmers with a 50 meter indoor pool, outdoor recreation pool and therapy pool. The North Domingo Baca Aquatic Center is moving forward with more speed than ever and I look forward to the significant, positive impacts it will have for our entire city and beyond."

-Brook Bassan, Albuquerque City Councilor, District 4

"I am excited to be working with other community leaders and aquatic center advocates on finally making swimming at North Domingo Baca a reality. An aquatic center at NDB is a win-win for Albuquerque and for our area of the city which sadly lacks a robust multi-faceted public swimming and water sport facility. A 50-meter (rather than 25-meter) pool serves multiple users of all ages, from casual swimmers, lap swimmers, kids just learning to swim, high school swim team members, to competitive swimmers and their fans and supporters. It’s time to end the public pool “desert” in our part of the city."

-Marian Matthews, State Representative, District 27

"This pool will build our community by providing recreation and enjoyment for the entire family. For several years I have placed Capital Outlay funds towards the City of Albuquerque Domingo Baca Swimming Pool. This aquatic program assures there is an indoor 50 meter pool, therapy pool and outdoor pool. The 50 meters is very important to develop our competitive swimmers. I will continue placing money on this project and encourage other legislators to do the same."

-William "Bill" R. Rehm, State Representative, District 31

"The North Domingo Baca swimming pool addition is a needed resource for our community. Not only will it provide additional recreational activities for our neighbors living in the area, but it will also benefit many others throughout the City of Albuquerque who will utilize the pool for recreational activities, as well. Thanks to the combined efforts of City Councilor Brook Bassan, the City of Albuquerque, Albuquerque Public Schools and state legislators, many are determined to bring this much-needed resource to the North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center. We will not stop until we achieve our goal, and we are proud to join efforts with many vocal and determined community members to make this pool a reality. "

-Dayan Hochman-Vigil, State Representative, District 15

COACHES

"We are in dire need of more pools in Albuquerque. West Mesa, Rio Grande, and Highland pools are overcrowded and it is hard to grow our sport without investments from our city. We have too many swimmers without enough pools to hold practices and competitions in. Having another viable option to have swim meets at will also give us flexibility in when and where we can have our competitions. It not only opens up opportunities for swimmers but also the surrounding communities. It will create opportunities for people who do not normally have access to a pool to learn and enjoy swimming as well as giving young adults a chance to work as lifeguards. Please take into consideration the development of another competition pool here in Albuquerque."

-Brian Schreiber, Atrisco Heritage Academy Varsity Swim Coach

"A 50 meter pool is awesome and would certainly be very useful. However, by extending the pool 10 meters, we would be able to have diving boards in the deepest part of the pool and separated from the competition pool using rolling bulkheads (2 preferably). This way, a diving session could take place at the same time a swim meet or practice is occurring using the 50 meter section. If you only have 50 meters and run a diving session, at least 4 lanes are impacted not just in the diving area but for the entire length of the pool. Additionally the bulkheads separate the diving or whatever else (water aerobics, lessons, kayaking, water polo, etc) may be happening over there while not interfering with lap swim, swim practice, swim meets, etc. I realize more money would be required, but only a small fraction of what we are already proposing to be spent. By having only a 50 meter pool, we run the risk of failing to utilize all the space possible, particularly in the summer when the pool likely would get the most usage. USA swimming (club swimming) runs their long course (50 meter pools) season in the summer and the additional 10 meters would be invaluable in making sure all activities can co-exist during busy times."

-Quint Seckler, Eldorado High School Head Swimming and Diving Coach

"I am a swim parent and have coached Manzano's swim team for the past few years. I am in favor of an aquatic center that improves the swimming capabilities of the city. I will give a specific example, during the high school swim season we are often constrained by how many lanes we can use because we share practice time with other schools. We often swim in a lane with a permanent disability ladder because we are running out of space at our practice pool."

-Matt Squires, Manzano High School Swim Coach

"The desired aquatic facility would be ideal for invitational meets year around and could host up to 750 swimmers for a long course event and up to 1300 swimmers for a short course event (advantage of a 50 meter by 25 yard pool = two competitive pools running events). The high altitude may be a detractor for senior national level events. However, Farmington NM hosted the USA Swimming Western Zone swim meet after it built a 50 meter pool and Salt Lake City, Utah recently hosted the USA Swimming Western Zone swim meet. The Western Zone Meet is for the top age group swimmers in a quarter of the entire USA (Western Zone includes Hawaii and Alaska). Additionally, Northwest Independent School District (https://aquatic.nisdtx.org) in Texas just completed a similar design for about the same price as the NDB desired option. This facility is based on the needs of the local population and based on the current lack of facilities in ABQ we should be looking at a similar facility (NDB desired option)."

-John Butcher, Chargers Aquatics - USA Swimming Coach

"National swim teams from China and Japan have been coming to Albuquerque since 2014 to use the UNM 50 meter facilities to do high altitude training. Additionally, A University team from Tokyo and several other club team from across the US used the facility for high altitude training camps. Recently top swimmers from Europe came to NM to train in Santa Fe. Los Alamos host several other countries in their 50 meter pool for training as well. There is a shortage of qualified aquatic facilities (50 meter pool time) for the unique attractions Albuquerque has to offer. This fact is not well known because we do not see the Athletes training (like the distance runners you see outside). Additionally, the UNM facility offers one of the few diving venues for the state and regularly holds regional diving completions. The desired option at NDB will provide more International engagement and revenue. Thus making the City of Albuquerque a gate way to international aquatics and an attraction for years to come."

-Bobbie Goldie, US Master Swimming Coach

AQUATIC PROFESSIONALS

"USA Swimming would like to host a regional level meet in Albuquerque in 2023 but Albuquerque would need a facility like the desired option to support such an event."

-USA Swimming NM General Chair

"Any new facility should consider USA Safe Sport guidance when developing a facility. This includes locker room safety and access to facilities. Safe Sport is the new standard for all sports and has been developed to address many issues within sports to include the USA Olympic Gymnastic failures."

-Ken Bernier, USA Swimming NM Officials Chair

"The desired facility is ideal for the National Senior Olympics and would be a huge revenue boost for the local economy. The NM Senior Olympics in 2018 and the 2019 National Senior Games held in Albuquerque was a huge success however our aquatic facilities were challenged. Many swimmers commented on the outdated facilities compared to other cities across the US but thoroughly enjoyed the city."

-Teddy Decker, US Master Swimming NM Vice Chair

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS

On behalf of our North Albuquerque Acres Community Association Board of Directors, I would like to express our full support for the North Domingo Baca Aquatics Center Project and the far reaching benefits it will provide for our community, surrounding neighborhoods and the city of Albuquerque.

David Neale - President, North Albuquerque Acres Neighborhood Association

My name is Uri Bassan and I am the president of the NorEste Neighborhood Association. Our residents have long been promised a swimming pool in the far northeast part of Albuquerque and we are ready to see the dream become reality. An aquatic center would benefit people of all ages. A therapy pool for seniors to particiape in low impact aerobics and rehabilitation after surgery. An olympic sized swimming pool for athletic competitions and a zero entry play area for children to enjoy spalshing, water slides, and an aquatic jungle gym. Studies demonstrate that children learning to swim increases self confidence leading to more successful adults. The pool will help lower crime by giving teenagers a safe place to congregate and activies to keep them engaged. The time is now for the City of Albuquerque to break ground on the North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Aquatic Center. Each of us should make our voices heard by contacting our elected officials to inform them of this priority. We also need to lobby our neighbors to vote yes for the municipal and APS general obligation bonds on the ballot this November. Those bonds will provide much of the funding required to move our project forward. If we all work together, we can start enjoying our new pool soon. Thank You!

Uri Bassan - President, NorEste Neighborhood Association

My name is Elizabeth Meek and I am President of the Vineyard Estates Neighborhood Association, a 14-plus year resident of the Northeast Heights, parent to four swimmers involved in club swimming (3 of whom swim/swam high school and one future high school swimmer), and I, myself, am a former club/high school swimmer. My family’s choice to live in the Northeast Heights was to access schools, public facilities and work locations more easily. However, it was disappointing to find that a local public pool was non-existent without a drive of 15 minutes or longer. While North Domingo Baca Multi-generational Center has been built and improved over the last several years, it is still missing a long-promised asset that would improve services for all our neighborhood children, adults, and seniors: a swimming pool. Access to swimming programs from lessons to competition to therapy to fitness and fun provides a healthy and desirable community environment. A swimming pool will create more local jobs, a safe place to congregate, an opportunity for all neighbors to learn, participate and enjoy in swimming, and a facility for local swim and dive competitions to name just a few benefits. It is time to get our NDBMGC Aquatic built to not only to benefit our local neighborhood, but for all of Albuquerque to benefit. Our city deserves and needs an outstanding aquatic facility.

Elizabeth Meek - President, Vineyard Estates Neighborhood Association

CITIZENS

"I love NM United, but can we just get our pool at Domingo Baca first? The City is so easily distracted…."**"A Domingo Baca Pool (if it’s like West Mess) will serve at least 2-3 legislative districts. Each district is approximately 30,000 people. Isotopes holds max 13,000 people. Most United attendees are season tickets holders."**"North ABQ is the only part of city missing indoor-outdoor swim pools. There is large pent-up demand here for what other parts of ABQ have: PUBLIC swimming pools."**"I would definitely use this facility if it were built." ** "I am in Desert Ridge subdivision. Glad to see we might get a pool. I have been waiting 15 years!"**"I'm quite interested in a pool at ND Baca! "**"I’m very interested in having a pool nearby!"**"We've been in the neighborhood for 5 years and have talked many times about how nice it would be to have a pool nearby, as we can't afford our own and it's important for our kids to learn how to swim!"**"Yep, we’ve been waiting for this pool for more than 5 years. I’m afraid I’ll be dead before it gets built"**"We do need a Pool very soon. The city use the funds for something else we do not need. They promised a pool in Domingo Baca Park more than 10 years ago. What happened with that?"**"We've driven by that park (or been AT the park) and commented on how there's plenty of room for a pool. We'd like to make this happen!"**"I want a pool! Am glad to see this topic back with the City - been a long time coming from some unfortunate decisions 15-20 years ago in the DBMGC planning."**"Would love a pool in our community!"**"I love swimming. I compete as a senior, coach masters and teach lessons. It would be great to have a new pool at Domingo Baca Park."**"I am glad to join this group to push for pools in our wonderful center, and might I suggest it should have been added in the original design. So for me and my family, we are in favor of this."**"As a long time swimmer and swim parent, this would be a great addition to our community. I highly support this!!!"**"I live in the Ventura and Paseo del Norte area. I strongly believe we need a pool at the Domingo Baca Park."**"Moving Back from Denver. The parks and rec system there was such a blessing to our young family and adds so much value to a city. I’m hoping the pool effort gains ground soon!"**"Yes, need the pool!! HS kids going going down to Highland stinks!!"**"I've been working on getting a pool in the ABQ Acres/Far NE Heights now for over 25 years. Sadly my children are now in college living in other states that actually have an abundance of pools..... unlike here."

-Citizens in the Northern Half of Albuquerque