LITTLE ROCK — As children dived and splashed behind him, Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola announced Wednesday that $20,000 in private donations will allow two city swimming pools to remain open until Aug. 14.
In December, city directors targeted the Southwest Little Rock Community Center swimming pool and the Jim Dailey Fitness & Aquatic Center pool for early closure this summer as part of a package of cuts to balance the city’s budget.
The pool cuts sparkeda scramble to find ways to keep the public pools open through the summer.
On June 25, Assistant City Manager Bryan Day announced that the pools would not close July 18 as the city had planned during its December budget talks.He said he combed the city budget to find about $18,000 to keep the two pools open until Aug. 1.
On Wednesday, Stodola stood in 95-degree heat to announce that additional money had been donated to keep the pools open until the last Saturday before school starts - their normal closing time.
Stodola thanked the donors for their generosity during a lackluster economy when the private and public sectors are slashing budgets and cutting jobs.
“Because of the generosity of corporations and individuals who care about our community and care about our citizens, I’m able to announce today that we’re going to keep the swimming pools open,” he said.
Stodola said the economic downturn has forced cities around the nation to reduce services.
“It’s been very difficult to deal with all of these types of situations,” Stodola said, noting that the downturn has cut into corporate philanthropy as well.
On Wednesday, representatives from AT&T, Lexicon Inc., Tyson Foods and VCC construction gathered with Stodola to make the announcement. Patrick Schueck, son of Lexicon owner Tom Schueck, attended the gathering.
“My father and everybody at the Lexicon family is very excited about this. We know and understand the importance of having a facility of this nature open during the hot summer months,” Schueck said. “I look forward to being able to experience the fun and friendship and family that goes on at the community pool. We think it’s great for the city and a special thanks to the mayor for putting this together.”
Ronald Dedman, director of external affairs for AT&T Arkansas, said the pool at the fitness center held special meaning for him.
“When the call came to us requesting that we provide assistance, it didn’t take us very long to decide that this was the right thing to do. Two or three years ago, you couldn’t have gotten me within 100 yards of a swimming pool. That was because I couldn’t swim,” he said. “But at the tender age of 50 and with the encouragement of friends, I learned to swim in one of these very pools that we’re working hard to keep open. So my point is that these pools, yes, they’re for young people but also for theyoung at heart. I can’t swim like a fish, but I can swim.”
In December, when the decision was made to cut the pools’ hours, the city also cut 17 employees from the payroll and closed neighborhood alert centers to balance the budget.
The Southwest Community Center cut its hours after its budget was reduced by $5,336. The pool was initially scheduled to be open for just seven weeks, until July 24.
The city cut $54,934 from the Jim Dailey Fitness and Aquatic Center budget by closing it on Sundays in the spring and initially planning to have the pool open from June 5 to July 18 - half its usual 12 weeks of summer pool time.
Arkansas, Pages 11 on 07/22/2010