In case any of you didn't know, OPRF has recently been considering spending between 35 and 60 MILLION dollars on a new pool. The plans were to build a third one either on the current baseball diamond, where the parking garage currently is (and tearing down the parking garage,) or across Lake Street on the road between Ridgeland Commons and the OPRF track.
Now, what the school SHOULD be doing is reconfiguring the entire south end of the school (south hall onward, including track.) According to the Wednesday Journal, OPRF enrollment could grow from our already staggering 3,500 students to an even greater figure of 4,000. OPRF is crowded as it is. In my opinion, all of the gym facilities need to be moved to where the the track is right now. (Plus, the track team doesn't use the track, they take buses to Concordia. The track is just poorly designed and not optimal for track practice.) This way we can take down the fieldhouse and reconfigure that part of the building to accomadate for the growing student body. And no, we shouldn't tear down the parking garage, because just several years ago, it was built for $7,000,000. That's not a low amount of money, all unto the burden of the taxpayers.
Secondly, WHY WOULD WE SPEND $60,000,000 OR EVEN $1,000,000 ON A NEW POOL!? Imagine everything that the world could do with that money!! We could feed hungry! Donate to non-profits in the community! Fund academic clubs! Fund academics! We could be the school who makes teachers high-paid workers! But, instead, the school board wants to spend 60 MILLION DOLLARS ON A POOL!? Does anyone even think we need this thing besides the school board? Seriously, ask yourself! We have two pools, do we really need a new one? And for that price?
Just take some time to think about that. Seriously. One million dollars. Thirty-five million dollars. Sixty million. Imagine what the community could do with that.
And the board wants to make a freaking pool.
I believe the reason that they want a new pool is because it is not regulation size or something like that. There was talk of putting it on the Lake street soccer fields (that we just put in) and then every team that uses those fields would have even less space than we already do. We do not need to Build a new pool. You made some good points about what we could spend the pool money on.
ReplyDeleteWhat that's so much money for a pool??! Though I think Tommy's right, we've been needing one for a few years now for diving heights or something... I agree with you overall, especially that OPRF can spend all their money in a better way, without knocking down other perfectly good spaces.
ReplyDeleteWe have many things wrong with this school. I agree with this, its too much money and too much time. There for I would oppose this choice to build a new pool.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it really is a waste of money, but from what I've heard we have money to burn, but then again, there is nothing wrong with our pools here
ReplyDeleteAs a swimmer and water polo player, I completely dissagree. People keep saying we have to pools, Yes, we have two seperate pools, but both are incredibly small. Nowhere else in the state will you find a team pool as poorly ventilated, poorly configured, and miniscule in size as the West pool. Pools are meant to last for about 40 years; ours is almost 90... I'm not saying it's cheap or convienant, but it has to be done.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Lawrence. A new pool will cost a lot of money and be inconvenient to build, but we need one. Our current pools are unfit for spectators and visiting teams. We also need a place for our divers who have to leave the school every day because we are unable to have a diving board.
ReplyDeleteI see where the swimmers are coming from, as a runner I would like a track that I can actually run on, but in my opinion all of the proposed options are absolutely ridiculous. There has to be a more cost efficient and non destructive way of resolving this issue. One that doesn't involved destroying recently constructed parking garages and/or perfectly good fields.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your argument that to add a new pool is not worth it, however, I am not a swimmer, therefore, do not personally need a new pool. I also agree that the parking garage should not be torn down, as I never realized how much money went into it and how recently it was built. It would just be a waste of money to destroy. Lastly, I admire how you use capital statements to prove your passion and show you truly believe in your opinion. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, with all that money why don't we put it towards better things. We already have two pools now, even though they are not regulation, we still have TWO pools. I think we should do what Fenwick does and just have one giant pool. The track should NOT get torn down because there are so many sports that use the track. Why would we cut down all those sports for one??
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