Once destroyed, we cannot revisit
Lack of High School pools in neighboring towns
Typically a “private school” amenity
Locally, only Morristown and Rutherford have pools
Opportunity to expand access to entire community
YMCA /Private Swim lessons on weekends and off-season
Use for community events
Adult swim teams / rec swimming / senior citizen classes / water sports programs
Drowning is preventable
1 of top 3 leading causes of accidental deaths among those younger than 29
African Americans are 1.5 times more likely to drown than White Americans
This disparity grew between 2005-19
70% of African Americans, 66% of Asian Americans and 60% of Latinos do not know how to swim
Formal swimming lessons reduce likelihood of drowning by 88%
1% of swimming athletes are African Americans
Free swimming lessons that are part of the high school curriculum expands Access and Equity
Physical Health Benefits
Mental Health Benefits
“Swimming can improve mood in both men and women.” - CDC
Cognition Benefits
“Swimming may confer cognitive health benefits. This is important since swimming is an accessible form of exercise and has the potential to be beneficial for a wide range of people.”
“Swimming-related effects on cerebrovascular and cognitive function” Physiological Reports, Volume 7 (2019)