Do Not Start Over - Sandi Taylor

Editor,

Earlier this year, Tracy City Council approved spending $760,000 of taxpayer dollars to start the Aquatic Center design process over, despite having construction ready Community Design Plans ready to implement at no cost to the city. If implemented now, construction for the Aquatic Center could start in 2024.

The current design plans are community driven and inspired. Members of our group were appointed by City Council in 2005 to the citizen “Aquatic Task Force,” which was directed to work with Tracy Tomorrow and Beyond to create plans and evaluate sites for an Aquatic Center.

We, with the support and direction from City Council, have worked with Surland Companies for almost 20 years to generate the current design plans that were made available to the city this year.

Despite the collaborative efforts together over many years, City Staff now indicates that our City Attorney has directed staff to not meet with us or the developer. Why?

Our plans have something for everyone, regardless of age/ability, including: a 25-yard activity pool for swim classes/lessons, a 50-meter competitive pool, toddler/leisure pools, a lazy river, and multiple slides. It also features a community social hall, retail, and food/beverage.

The Community Designed Plans for the Aquatic Center will serve all the people of Tracy and will be an economic driver for the city year-round.

Our City Council, unfortunately, is more focused on infighting and politicking. They have made the design plans for the Aquatic Center political.

We will not and cannot let this happen.

This week we sent a flier to Tracy residents educating them on this issue. Together, as a community, we can encourage the city to do right and implement the Community’s Design Plans and move forward. Learn more at www.tracyaquaticcenter.com.

Sandi Taylor, Tracy

Published in December 22nd Tracy Press Letters to the Editor.