Town Hall meeting tonight at 7.30pm regarding the buiding of the pool steel tension structure

Tonight (Tuesday) at 7.30 pm there is a Town Council meeting that includes 2 items regarding our pool's building process. Please attend to show the Council that we meant it when we said we want this done properly this time. 

 The most important item on the agenda is with regard to the RFP process. An RFP process recognizes that different manufacturers may have different products that would meet the needs of our unique pool. These differences need to be analyzed, and an RFP process allows for the best analysis of performance, features and price.
With our unusual pool a "one size fits all" approach does not work. An RFP process would allow for far more scrutiny and an informed decision.

 Please attend tonight. Stay informed and stay active.

 

Tuesday, November 11th, 7.30 pm.

Thank you !

Our official words of thanks. So proud of you all !!! The words below went out via email yesterday but here they are for all of you to read.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We are so happy that Cheshire voted Yes for the permanent solution for the Cheshire Community Pool. This is a great victory for our town. We finally have a solution that will allow the pool to be a year round facility for our whole community to use and enjoy.

Thank you to all of you. This victory was only possible because of the amazingly dedicated volunteers. People went door to door, stood outside grocery stores and at soccer fields, emailed and texted friends and neighbors and were relentless in the desire to convince voters that this was the right choice for Cheshire. There were times when we endured less than cordial debate. But we were undeterred. We knew this was right for our children and seniors and for all the residents of Cheshire.

Thank you so much for everything you all have done to make this campaign a success.

Friends of Cheshire Pool

www.friendsofcheshirepool.org

Housekeeping

 *If you have a sign on your lawn please consider taking it down as there is a Town ordinance related to how long political signs can remain up.

 

Results (unofficial)

Look what you did !! We won every district. This is what happens when you have a volunteer force that works tirelessly for good. Thank you all !!!

 

 

 

Get everyone you know out to vote YES

Very amateur exit polling suggests that we have a lot of NO votes coming out now. We did well though in the morning.
We will need to rally very, very hard for the rest of the day. If you haven't voted go now! If you are at work, drive straight to the polls after. Knock on your neighbor's door. Ask them if they need a ride there. Call your friends. Text them. Ask the checkout person.
Pester every single, solitary voter that you know or meet to get out to vote YES. We need absolutely every single vote.
I liked something a YES voter said earlier today. "It's no good supporting the pool from your couch." Go vote and bring more voters with you!!!! Vote YES!

Tuesday, November 5th. Vote YES

Please share with your friends and neighbors. 

 On Tuesday, Nov. 5th we have an opportunity to do something great for the Town of Cheshire. We can fix the problems of the past and allow the pool to become a source of pride for the whole community.

 

The permanent steel tension structure is the right solution for our community pool.

 The solution for the pool is finally here and voting YES will make it happen.

Please Vote YES to referendum question #4.

Thank you,
Friends of Cheshire Pool


For more information about the Solution for the pool, please go to:
http://www.friendsofcheshirepool.org/

 

 

Spread the information about the Pool Solution. There are many who do not have the correct information

Do not presume that your neighbors and friends have all the information about the Pool Solution.

Tell five people today that it's a permanent steel structure, that it can sustain 130 mph winds and up to 50 inches of snow and that operating costs plummet compared to what exists right now.

Tell them the roof is composed of the same material as used over pools in Michigan that suffer Lake effect snowdumps, over the Denver Airport, and over the New England Patriots training facility.

Tell them its $2.60 per household per year.

Tell them about the 128,000 visits( NOT including the swim team) that it gets per year.
Tell them about the open sides/pavilion experience in Summer that can be opened by town staff, no more need for expensive contractors to come in and disrupt business for weeks, and that the sun worship green areas are preserved. 

 Direct them to friendsofcheshirepool.org to see the virtual tour, the FAQs, the business plan, the TV show and the details of the structure

Tell them that voting against actually means they are endorsing the current situation. The Solution is far more suited to our brutal New England Winters and we are tired of energy hogging, falling bubbles. They need to vote YES for the Solution to the Community Pool.

Volunteers

Some of the crew here today at Stop and Shop. 

They have free jar openers:) 

Our weekend work

We had lots of help at Everybody's and Stop and Shop yesterday. Today is Stop and Shop only, and of course, door to door.
The weather has been marvelous for us, and we met some great people. We are all heading out there today again.
Thanks to all the people who beeped their car horns at us
and waved encouragingly as we roamed the neighborhoods on foot. It's a huge boost to see the thumbs up and smiling faces.

Keep working hard everyone. We are making a lot of progress !!!!!! Thank you all for everything you are doing !!!

Last chance to send a letter

Last chance to convince the voters . There is only one week of letters left before we all vote YES on November 5th. If this is the first and only time you write a letter let it be in support of a YES vote.
Our BlogSpot post from last week... contains all the links to submit your letter to the the papers. Send it to them all. Let's finish strong !

http://friendsofcheshirepool.blogspot.com/2013/10/letters-from-supporters-thank-you.html

Politics - the shocking lack of knowledge.

Politics- Any talk of a seasonal /Summer only pool shows a remarkable lack of knowledge about our Community Pool. It is shocking that this is even being talked about.

As we all know the pool was designed to be indoors for 3 seasons, the pipes are not below freezing level and are in the concrete of the deck close to the pool bed. Blasting down to lower them is a costly and huge undertaking, and could damage the pool itself. A full winterization of the pool is a far more expensive endeavor than people realize. As well as trying to deal with the pipes there are 44 drains too that would have to be retrofitted. In addition the" Great Wall" is not designed to be open to the elements and has been for 2 winters already. Not to mention the revenue that is generated during the 9 months is completely lost, as is the business that impacts Main Street through swim families buying food, groceries, gas etc during their visits. Buttoning down for winter would have to be done each year at a significant cost. Additionally the education budget become directly impacted as the teams are bussed to practices and have to pay for costly pool practice time and meet hosting. Summer only pools require more maintenance, and decline and decay far quicker. Summer only is not a fiscally prudent option for the Town of Cheshire by any stretch of the imagination. It is a very bad decision. We've had enough of those already on this pool.

Every candidate with a rational mind should support the Pool Solution November 5th. It is a year round, viable, permanent solution for the town. Vote YES.

Tuesday, Meet the Candidates and a Duel in the Pool

Two things going on tonight, Tuesday.

Meet the Candidates at Town Hall, from 6pm - 9pm. This is hosted by the League of Women Voters. It's a chance to hear what the candidates stand for, how well informed they are, and decide how well you think they would represent you on Town Council. It will be moderated , but you can submit questions on paper to the moderator. Let's see what they are made of.

The second event is very exciting. Undefeated Cheshire High meets undefeated Amity for a Duel in the Pool that will bring out the champions tonight ! 7 pm in Hamden Hall Aquatic Center (Skiff Street). All of us recreational, athletic, rehabbing, and just plain splashers are always inspired by the Cheshire Girls team. It's been a disjointed training year for them but they haven't lost yet.
A great night of competition is in store. It's senior night there too.

They are one part of the "community" of pool users. They are some of our town's finest ambassadors. Hop down to Hamden and cheer them on.

All the information about the Pool Solution in one place

Please visit our website Friends of Cheshire Pool to find everything you need to know about the pool solution.

• A detailed description, complete with pictures, of the Steel Tension structure
• The Virtual Tour of the proposed structure.  3d tour
• There is a page with all the Frequently Asked Questions
• A way to donate to us to help us pay for advertising and flyers
• A link to the business plan that was put together by the Pool Evaluation Committee and is on the town website.

Thank you for your support of the Solution to the Pool. Vote YES on November 5th !

TV Show airs again Saturday

Our TV show airs again on Saturday at 6pm on Cox Cable, Public Access TV Channel 15 . If you or your neighbors have any questions about the pool solution this is a good show to watch.

Letters from Supporters- Thank you !!!!!!

Here are a sample of recent letters to The Cheshire Herald from people who support the pool. They clearly show the positive impact this Community pool has made in our town. We really appreciate these supporters taking the time to make their voices heard. Far too many times we have been drowned out by those who do not know the facts about the pool. Keep on contacting the Cheshire Citizen , The New Haven Register, The Cheshire Herald , Cheshire Patch and The Republican American. The Solution to the Pool makes sense. We have to make sure everyone knows that.

 

 

 

Like myself, this author was using the pool for rehabbing after an accident. It is very important for the citizens of Cheshire to know how many different uses the "Community" Pool serves. It is critical to those of limited mobility, the injured, and those with special needs. This is a COMMUNITY pool !

 

 

 

 

 

Another great letter from the heart The Cheshire Herald Again capturing how the pool impacts us, our kids, our businesses and our community. I love the passion in this letter.

 

 

 

 

With the (United States record holding) Cheshire High School Girls team going to Hamden for practices and meets, the younger Sea Dogs heading to Waterbury and the older ones to Wesleyan (imagine having children from the same family in both pools at the same time) this letter in last week's Cheshire Herald rings very true. I particularly like the ending of it.

It is well worth a read

 

 

 

 

 

Vote YES, new video

This video was filmed in the last weeks of our pool being open. As you can see, so many use this pool- all ages, all abilities. Enjoy.

The Pool Solution can sustain up to 50 inches of snow and 130 mph winds. Don't let another bubble go up on this pool.
We need a sturdy, robust, steel structure for New England winters, and the pavilion-like structure lets us have a summer experience too.
Vote YES to the Pool Solution.
It makes sense.

Voter Registration information, Extended Hours and Absentee Ballots- Everything you need to vote on November 5th

Extended hours, mail in forms for registration and absentee ballots.

Saturday Voter Registration Session  As required by Sec. 9-16 of the State Election Laws, on Saturday, October 19, 2013, the Registrar of Voters’ office, 84 South Main Street, will be open for voter registration from 10am to 2pm.
Registrars’ office will be open late for voter registration.    
As required by Sec. 9-16 of the State Election Laws, on Tuesday, October 29, 2013, the Registrar of Voters’ office, 84 South Main Street, will be open for voter registration until 8pm.  If you would prefer to register by mail, print out this form and mail it in to the address listed. http://www.cheshirect.org/media/8332/voter%20registration%20form.pdf
If you need an absentee ballot, print off and fill this form and mail it in to the address listed.  
http://www.ct.gov/sots/LIB/sots/ElectionServices/ElectForms/electforms/aabeng.pdf

 

Act today to be able to vote YES on November 5th.

Cheshire helps Cheshire . A different cause - Anthony Morin- fundraiser at Bagelicious, Columbus Day

Help a Cheshire Family - On Monday, Columbus Day, from 5-7 pm there is a fundraiser for Anthony Morin, who has suffered a terrible brain injury from a random bike fall. Dinner, a silent auction and raffles will all take place at Bagelicious Bagels on 945 South Main Street. It's $5 for kids and $10 for adults. Please consider the huge medical bills that this family have accumulated and will face in the future. Cheshire helps Cheshire. Please help this family

Please share the Public Access Show that we recorded

Please share with your friends and neighbors. This program addresses many of the questions with regard to the pool solution, shows the virtual tour and includes a neat video of users enjoying the last weeks of the pool before its closure yesterday.

Special thanks to all those who helped make this possible. So many volunteers have stepped up to help in this campaign. It's very heartening.

Vote YES !

Cox Channel 15, Saturday 12th at 6pm. Tune in to hear about the Pool Solution.

Post by Friends of Cheshire Pool.


For the next 3 Saturdays you will have the opportunity to see the TV debut of the Friends of Cheshire Pool. We so lucky to have as guests the co-chairs of the Pool Evaluation Committee who, as part of a 15 person team, and with the input of a pool consultant, determined that the permanent solution was the best option for our New England pool. Mr. Kevin Wetmore and Mr. John Purtill took time to describe the assessments, considerations, deliberations and finally the details of the steel tensions  structure itself.

It was a very informative evening.
The program will air on Saturday 12th, 19th and 26th.
Tune in, and have your neighbors join you.


 

Virtual Tour of the Pool Solution

For our new Friends, here is a Virtual Tour of the Pool Solution

Last chance to try Aqua Zumba. This Saturday is the last dance before the pool closes for the winter

Good news for all us of limited mobility who use the pool for our exercise, and for those of us who love to laugh throughout a workout.

Saturday morning, weather permitting,  we "will have one last Aqua Zumba class before the Cheshire pool closes for the winter. It will be at 9:00 AM and will be the single class price of $8.00!

Heat up the pool for the last day!

Remember anyone can do it, just add water and SHAKE "

What did you do during last night's monsoon? Here's what the little kids did.

The u12 @SeaDogSwimClub practicing tonight in miserable conditions.

They swam until they couldn't see the bottom.

 

 Vote YES! For the Pool Solution Nov 5th

 

 

Weekend of Oct 5th and 6th, Volunteer work

31 Days left in the campaign. Not much time left !

We have a couple of campaign events that we need assistance with. This weekend-would you be available to hand out flyers at the sports fields for one hour? Very easy job. We've done it a few weeks in a row and it's been very positive. Friends will be meeting at 10am in the pool parking lot at Bartlem. Email us to let us know if you can join us - friendsofcheshirepool@gmail.com


10/6 - This weekend we will be campaigning at the football game on Sunday morning We need some help for a couple of hours. Please let us know if you can. It's basically handing out flyers and explaining the structure.

  Finally, we would like to start the door to door campaign a little sooner than indicated on our planning calendar. We have a lot of ground to cover and we want to reach as many people as possible It would be great if people could start covering a couple of streets when they can. Cheshire has 475 streets so we need a lot of people. Even if you can do a small block let us know.

We will give you the flyers and the FAQ sheet that has all the answers. Start around your neighborhood and branch out. Once people hear details of the solution they are very supportive. They are weary of the bubble collapses, but unaware of the solution details. This job is critical to our success in November.

 Email friendsofcheshirepool@gmail.com to let us know what you can do. Thank you for another good week of work.
31 days only to get to speak to everyone. Let's get going!

Cheshire Citizen Editorial Column

Post by Friends of Cheshire Pool.

The Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions about the Pool.

 

 

 

 

Our fellow Cheshire residents are interested in learning more about the solution. They often ask about the alternatives to the Solution.  

The Pool Evaluation Committee that made the recommendation of the Steel Tension structure considered 11 options in depth during the deliberations for the Solution. Many of the options that they considered and rejected form the basis of the questions that we Friends of Cheshire Pool are most frequently asked.

 

 

Here they are in list form, to help you in your conversations with friends and neighbors.

 

 

Why not just fill in the pool,  it’s been an issue long enough?
* The pool is a valuable community asset. In the past year there have been 128,000 pool visits (excluding any swim teams).
* The pool serves the whole community from toddlers to senior citizens, people swimming for exercise and for physical rehabilitation, the able body and the disabled, provides swimming lessons to hundreds of people a year.
* The pool is a $4 million town asset with continued debt service requirements on $1.5 million in bonds and would not receive the revenue currently provided through user fees.
* To demolish the pool, its deck, remove the equipment, demolish the pool building, fill in the pool and remove all the debris is estimated to cost approximately $1.25 million.
* The education department would have to pay more than $50,000 out of its budget for busing and pool rentals for practices and meets for the High School Boys and Girls Swim teams.

Why not just put the bubble back-up – we have insurance proceeds?
* A more permanent solution is needed to provide a stronger enclosure to eliminate the risk of future storm damage.
* The town has heard many responses for voters asking to fix the problems of the bubble once and for all.
* The permanent enclosure will reduce energy and contractor costs, increase revenues and eliminate down time for the pool (putting up and taking down the bubble) that a bubble cannot provide. All of this will significantly reduce the subsidy to the pool.
* Studies have shown that the past bubbles were available to use only about 70% of the time. A permanent enclosure would bring that up closer to 100%.
 Why not just make it summer only? 
* There would be additional costs to converting a pool which was designed to be used year round to a summer only pool (in order to prevent pipe freezing and winter damage) that would diminish any projected savings from this idea. The pool was built to be year round and enclosed in the winter, as approved by Cheshire residents.
* To get the facility ready to be winterized requires retrofitting the pipes and 44 drains,  and to enclosed in the concrete deck and to the mechanical equipment to be able to be winterize. These one-time costs have been estimated at $130,000. Additionally, a pool cover would be needed, costing approximately $60,000. With this preparation the pool could be winterized in the fall and reopened in the Spring at an annual cost of $20,000-30,000.
* The Education Departments expenses would increase over $50,000 to pay for buses and pool rentals to take Cheshire High School Boys and Girls teams to practice and meets at other pools.
* There would be a significant loss of revenue from pool users (season passes, swim team rentals, income from lessons, parties, events, and hosting meets).
* Many nearby communities with large summer only pools (e.g. Canton Municipal Pool & Brookfield YMCA Pool) are making plans to go from summer only to year round facilities because they have found it not practical or financially sensible to have a pool open only from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
The Town Subsidy is too large!
* All town services: youth center, senior center, library, park and rec, arts place, linear trail etc. receive town subsidy.  All these resources are 100% taxpayer funded not the pool. The pool is the only town resource that generates significant revenue.
* The pool subsidy is about $350,000 for the past year. This accounts for only about .3% of the entire town operating budget.
* Unlike other town facilities/Services the Pool users pay most of the expenses for the pool through user fees.
* The pool revenue was on track to be a record over $600,000 before the bubble collapse.
* With the new proposed enclosure there will be significant energy savings (insulation and no air blowers) and lower contractor costs (not putting up and taking down the bubble.
* This will result in an expected subsidy of less than $200,000.
What is the difference between a “tension membrane” and a bubble?
* The steel tension structure has a permanent steel frame with an incredibly strong Teflon coated fabric membrane.  Unlike the bubble, it does not require any “air support” or “blower” to keep it up.
* A steel tension membrane structure is much sturdier and reliable than a bubble.  It is designed to shed snow and resist wind much better than a bubble design.
* The steel tension membrane structure will allow the facility to remain open 100% of the year.  Unlike the bubble, it will not require the pool to close for seasonal transitions and maintenance.
* The steel tension structure has lower life cycle costs compared to a modified bubble or a polycarbonate structure.
* The steel tension structure has lower short term and long term operating costs compared to a bubble.
* A steel tension structure offers a significant improvement in energy conservation compared with the previous air supported bubble.
Are there other steel tension structures out there?  Why didn’t we buy one years ago?
* Steel tension membrane structures are widely used for Olympic size swimming pools
* General experience has been very positive
* These structures were not yet available at the time that the original bubble design was selected.
* The steel tension structure has proven reliability.  The Denver airport has a steel tension membrane roof (1995) .  The New England Patriots training facility in Foxboro, Massachusetts also is a steel tension membrane structure.  The Pool Evaluation Committee visited the New England Patriots facility as part of its research.

Will there still be an outdoor “feel” in the summer?
* The Steel tension structure will have an open feel in the summer.
* The sides can be opened in the summer months giving the pool an open air feel.
* This pavilion feel will allow shading at the pool and easy access to the outside sun.
* With additional attention to prevention of skin cancer, many pool users actually welcome the sun protection afforded by the covering
Will the new structure stand up to winter storms?
* Yes!
* The structure will be built to withstand a snow load of up to 50 lbs per square foot. (well more than 5 feet of snow and ice). Cheshire, for its buildings, normally uses a standard of 30 lbs per square foot.
* The structure will also be able to withstand wind speeds up to 130 mph. A similar structure on the gulf coast, covering a same size pool was able to withstand hurricane Katrina without damage.

Were other options discussed?
Yes.  The Cheshire Community Pool Evaluation Committee met for several intense months over the Spring and summer.  This group, chaired by John Purtill and Kevin Wetmore investigated all possibilities.  The full report has been available on the Town web site. This group gave report to the Town Council , who selected the steel tension membrane option to go forward to the town referendum.  Other options including replacing the bubble, building the more expensive polycarbonate structure voted down by taxpayers in 2010, or building an alternative pool behind CHS were all priced out and compared.  The steel tension membrane came out to be the best and most practical solution to our specific needs—affordable, durable, attractive, and sustainable 
Will the new permanent structure be more or less energy efficient than the bubble?
More.  Operating costs and energy costs are projected to DECREASE because of significantly higher “R” value for the structure and lack of need  to use an air blower for the bubble .  Furthermore, as the pool would not be required to close for seasonal transitions, revenue should also increase.
Who uses the pool
* Many seniors and other adults who swim for exercise
* Adults who take fitness classes
* children who take swimming lessons
* Families and individuals who use the pool for relaxation and recreation
* disabled children and adults who are can be more mobile in the water than on dryland
* those taking  scuba lessons, life guarding lessons and water rescue courses
* CHS Swim and Dive Teams
* Water polo, synchronized swimming, and diving lessons
* Cheshire Sea Dog Swim Team

I read in the paper that “no one ever uses the pool” and “it is a financial disaster”.  Is that true?
* Absolutely not!  The pool is a very well used community resource .In the past year there were 128,000 user days of activity at the pool. Also, in the past fiscal year the pool was on pace to bring in $600,000 in revenue.  Part of the apparent cost of the pool relative to other town services has to do with the accounting for the pool operating costs.  Even so, the pool has accounted for only 0.3% of the towns operating budget--$350,000 last year.  The pool is actually one of the FEW town resources that offsets the majority of its cost with generated revenue.  A trip to the pool at almost any time will show many users present.
* The Pool is the only service/facility in town that has the potential to serve all residents, from toddlers to senior citizens, to those with handicaps’ and those seeking physical fitness and those needing physical therapy.

Why should I pay for something I don’t use?
* None of us use all the services in town. We pay for them because they make up the quality of life which adds value to our lives, makes Cheshire a great place to live and add value to our homes.
* You may not have used all the roads in Cheshire but we all pay to keep them in shape and for snow plowing. You may not have use the police and fire departments this year but you paid for them. You may not have used the Library, Linear Trail, Senior Center, Youth Center, Arts Place, Yellow House or any of the multiple ball fields or had someone in the school system - but paid for them. Others helped pay for the things that you used and they have not. All of these add to the quality of life and make Cheshire a great place to live.
* The expected cost of the pool is about $2.60 a year for the average home in Cheshire. This is because the cost of repaying the bonds and interest is significantly offset by energy savings, contractor cost (no putting up and taking down the bubble), lower maintenance costs and increased revenue . Additionally, the construction cost is spread, by bonding over 20 years and spread over the $2.2 billion property assessment base in Cheshire.
* This $2.60 per average household does not reflect a tax increase, it only means that $2.60 of the taxes you pay goes toward the cost of the structure.
* The pool is the only town facility that significantly covers most of the cost of the facilities through user fees and rental fees. These fees range from a daily pass for an adult of $7.00 to an adult yearly pass of $200. For a family the seasonal pass costs $245 or $360 for an annual pass.
* The pool adds value to the town and to your home.  Communities with multiple exercise facilities are healthier communities


My neighbors tell me that the pool has been a problem for years!  Why not give up?
* The Pool Complex had a rough start in being constructed and has had a series of problems.
* The complex consists of the pool itself, the mechanicals, the pool concrete deck, the pool building and the pool bubble.
 -   There has not been a problem with the Pool itself since it opened in 2003.
  -   There has not been a problem with the mechanicals or the pool’s
         concrete deck since it opened in 2003.
* There have been  problems with the pool building caused by the negative
    pressure from the air pressure needed to keep the bubble inflated.
    and problems with the bubble’s stability.
* It makes sense, therefore, to support the new structure that will eliminate the need for air pressure –thus to preserve the building. Being made of steel supports will eliminate the causes of the bubble collapses.

Do you have Audio Visual experience? Update on lawn signs.

Two things today Friends-  First , we need audio visual types for October 8th to help us with a public access TV endeavor. Can you help? Maybe you have A/V experience from high school or work, even a little experience helps. Email friendsofcheshirepool@gmail.com.

Second, Email your pictures of your lawn signs . I see a lot on Rte 10!!!!  friendsofcheshirepool@gmail.com. Don't forget to ask any businesses you frequent if you can put a sign in front of their building. We will get one to you.
Our sign push last night was very successful. Here's a picture of two houses side by side sporting our signs. 2 houses down from these was another. It was a great morning for us Friends seeing the support of our neighbors and fellow Cheshire residents.

Here's a post on Facebook from last night's distribution. Quite the caravan of vehicles turned up to get their signs. The energy was tremendous!

Post by Friends of Cheshire Pool.

Vote YES Lawn signs

We will be distributing lawns signs on Wednesday October 2nd at 6:00pm at the Cheshire Community Pool parking lot. We have fantastic lawns signs that urge people to "Vote Yes for the Pool Solution". We want to see a sea of lawn signs in Cheshire on Thursday morning. So come to the pool and pick one up. We are asking people to make a suggested donation of $20 for the sign. This is a suggested d...onation, No one will be denied a lawn sign. We want as many people who want one to have one. We are hoping to raise additional funds to purchase advertisements and more signs.

If you are unable to make it to the pool please email us and we will make arrangements to get you a sign.

Thank you for your support. We look forward to seeing you tonight, Wednesday at 6pm.

Friends of Cheshire Pool

 

 

Location, Location, Location !

If you work in a business that has a front desk, cash register or waiting room can you put some flyers there for your customers to peruse? Do you work or live in (or both  ) a building that is on a high traffic road or intersection? Can we get you a lawn sign?

 

Please email friendsofcheshirepool@gmail.com to help. The more people who know the facts about the pool solution the more yes votes we get and we need every one of them. It may be a single vote that wins this on November 5th and it could be as a result of one person that you convinced. We need your help. Email friendsofcheshirepool@gmail.com immediately if you think your building is a great location for us.

 

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

This weekend at several sporting events we gave out our glossy flyers and copies of frequently asked questions that we encounter regarding the pool. Here is the link to those FAQs. It's useful to have this information for when you are speaking with your neighbors and friends regarding the pool.


http://www.friendsofcheshirepool.org/pool-faqs-1.html

For those who had to miss last night's orientation

               

• If you can do a street campaign i.e. door to door
• If you can do a literature handout at sporting events
• If you know a business and can ask them to put out a sign for us
• If you would like a lawn sign or t-shirt for a suggested donation of $20

          please email friendsofcheshirepool@gmail.com

 with all your details

 

We are thrilled to have your support !

Volunteer Orientation meeting on Thursday, September 26th at 7:30pm at the YMCA

This is it , the critical time when the hard work required needs to happen. There is a lot to do and we need as many people as possible to cover everything that needs to be done. We need everyone’s help to spread the word about the pool.

The tension structure is an excellent permanent solution for the Cheshire Community Pool and it is our job to get the information out there and convince the voters. To do this we need your help to reach as many people as possible and get out the vote. We will help you understand all the facts regarding the pool solution and equip you well to speak knowledgeably to your friends and neighbors. We will have signup opportunities for people to contribute in many different ways.

There is a strong NO contingent and they vote diligently. Last time around buses of them arrived motivated only to vote against the pool. If we cannot convince them to vote YES to this reliable permanent solution then we need to outvote them. Our volunteers are critical to the education and the get out the vote effort.
For us to be successful on November 5th we need your help.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, September 26th.

Thank you,

Friends of Cheshire Pool

This is what a "Community" Pool is all about

This picture from the Cheshire Herald shows us exactly why we are so passionate about preserving our Community Pool.

from the Herald..... "CHS Girls Swim/Dive team took time out of their busy summer to come to Cheshire Parks and Rec's Therapeutic Camp for special needs kids. They impressed the campers with their flip turns, stoke demonstrations, and mini races. They encouraged all the participants to try the sport they love."
This is why the Friends ask you to Vote Yes for the Solution to the Pool in November's Referendum.

Actual link below.

Post by The Cheshire Herald.

Please share with your neighbors and family

For our new Friends, please share this with your neighbors and family. Here is a video of the Pool Solution in the summer. The steel structure is up year round. As you can see in summer the sides are removed, the picnic tables are easily accessible and the green area is preserved.

Sun worship preserved but no chance of anything collapsing in the winter. The steel tension solution can hold 50lbs of snow per square foot and sustain 130 mph winds. No more closures, collapses, interruptions or disasters. Vote Yes to the Pool Solution.

A Plea

A plea. Our last fundraising push was for the Fall Festival. As many of you saw we were able to provide the undecided voters with facts and figures in the form of an informational brochure. With photos and columns it detailed the Solution to the Pool.

Our next major push is to get that information into the newspapers in the form of advertising. We will have two waves of advertising. Unfortunately it is very expensive. We are asking for donations for this. We feel very strongly that if the people of Cheshire have the facts about the Solution to the Community Pool they will confidently vote YES. There is a remarkable amount of incorrect information and opinion out there. We need to get the true facts to the voters.

We count on your generosity again. Please help us by clicking
Thank you for your support.

• http://www.friendsofcheshirepool.org/donate.html
• or send a  check made out  to "Friends of Cheshire Pool",  PO Box 238, Cheshire, CT 06410

We are extremely grateful for all donations.

Community Pool and the disabled

The Community Pool is heavily used by people with disabilities. 

Its comfortable water temperature and adapted access is a huge positive.

 

Vote YES to the Pool Solution so that they

and for their families can continue to reap its benefits.

Repercussions

Having to shuttle High School teams to training venues while the pool is closed will take anywhere from $60,000 -$70,000 annually from the EDUCATION budget.

 

Vote YES to the Pool Solution to keep the kids in town.

Vote Yes for the Pool Solution - The Fall Festival recap (with photos)

The Fall Festival offered us our first major opportunity to meet with our fellow Cheshire citizens to explain the solution to the Community Pool.

We had a scaled model of the proposed solution and we were able to show how the sides come off in the Summer allowing for a swimming AND sun worship. Our video showed the virtual tour of the facility. We were able to explain that the structure can sustain 130 mph winds and can support a snow load of 50lbs per square foot. We met a woman recently moved from Wisconsin who has been in these structures all over her state and who, as a new Cheshire resident, is voting YES with great confidence and experience.

We were able to tell them about similar steel tension structure pools in Mississippi who survived Hurricane Katrina, and Michigan pools that get major lake-effect snows. We talked about the Denver Airport being a similar structure.
People were delighted to hear about getting reduced operating costs by voting YES. We talked about the solution being able to be insulated to R35. We explained that the people who vote no to the solution are actually endorsing the current pool situation.

We talked about the cost being a mere $2.60 per tax HOUSEHOLD per YEAR. Most had us repeat TWO DOLLARS AND SIXTY CENTS PER HOUSEHOLD PER YEAR. That's it? That's it!.

We had copies of the business plan and showed people how the pool generated 600,000 dollars in revenue being open 70% of the year and we marveled at what could happen when it is open 100% of the year.

So many people stopped by or talked to us in the crowd. There were seniors who take aquafitness classes, little kids just learning to swim, families who go there all the time, the fit and healthy (and incredibly polite) swim team children young and old, medical professionals who feel strongly that it's a great health asset to the town, and realtors and homeowners who know that it keeps property prices up. All were impressed by the steel tension structure and look forward to year-round swimming. There were those who don't go to the pool but understand that just like the Linear trail, the Youth and Senior Centers, the Library and our schools that the Community Pool is a true "Community" asset that only adds value to our shared Cheshire experience.

We met so many people. We were able to do exactly what we set out to do - get information to the voters so they can make an informed decision. We are very confident that with that information they will vote YES to the Pool Solution.

Here are some photos to give you an idea of our day. If you have any shots of our volunteers do feel free to share.

Every hour on the hour a new team of us went out in the crowd, armed with information-packed brochures, recyclable grocery bags with our info, and answers to questions. We had some pretty neat tshirts too.

We had some familiar faces at the booth

It was great to have a model to explain how the solution works

We had the opportunity to speak to many, many members of the Community who stopped by.

We could tell by all the people in the crowd toting the blue bags and wearing "Vote Yes to the Pool solution" stickers that our workers were very, very successful! Thank you to our volunteers and supporters for a terrific day. Please continue your good work by talking with your neighbors and friends and getting everyone to Vote YES to the Pool Solution.

Fall Festival Booth September 7th

Our big event this weekend is the Fall Festival. Friends of Cheshire Pool will be there ! We have a great booth location near the moon bounce We have ample brochures to hand out and some nice takeaways including recyclable grocery bags and stickers. In addition we have some good 'show and tell' features- a scaled model of the pool solution, and hopefully, with a crack audio-visual team, a virtual tour of the Pool Solution airing on a loop on a projector. Not too shabby considering the Council only sent this to referendum on August 27th Our group has been working really hard to be ready for this. The Fall Festival is a major community event. We have an opportunity to speak to many other booths, businesses, sports and civic groups, and get a chance to reach a true cross-section of the community. It's a great opportunity to get the facts to the voters. Looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday !

3D tour of the Pool Solution, with the sides open for Summer use.

Feel free to share. Here is a 3D tour of the pool with the sides up ie our Summer option. The picnic tables will also be outside, and as you can see the green area is preserved.

Virtual Tour of the Pool Solution

Hot on the heels of the images of the pool in Summer yesterday here is a 3D tour of the Solution to the Pool with the sides closed. Take a look. It's very impressive.
Click here for the video

College students - Take care of your absentee ballots today

Attention all college students.!

Take care of your absentee ballot today. You will be able to vote YES in November.  Here is the link explaining the process
http://www.cheshirect.org/voting-and-elections/absentee-ballots

From the town website -

ABSENTEE BALLOTS

The process for voting by absentee ballot includes qualifying, applying, obtaining the ballot and returning the ballot.

To QUALIFY for voting by absentee ballot, an elector must be unable to appear at the required polling place during all hours of voting for one of the following reasons:

• Active service in the armed forces of the United States
• Absence from the town of voting residence during all of the hours of voting
• Illness
• Physical disability
• Religious tenets which forbid secular activity on the day of the election;
• Duties as an election official at a polling place other than his/her own during all of the hours of voting

 
To obtain an absentee ballot, an elector must first submit an application with an original signature to the Town Clerk's office by mail or in person.  Absentee ballot applications are available from the Connecticut Secretary of State's website and from the Town Clerk's office, either in person or by mail (requests can be submitted by calling 203 271-6601 or in writing to the Town Clerk, 84 South Main St., Cheshire, CT 06410).   Ballots are then issued for each valid application. 
 
The actual absentee ballots for each election are available one month prior to the election, or three weeks before a referendum.  These ballots can be picked up at the Town Clerk's office by the applicant or can be mailed directly to the applicant.  Please note that anyone may pick up an absentee ballot application for an elector, however, the ballot itself can only be handed in person to the elector named on the application or mailed directly to the applicant.
 
Ballots may be returned to the Town Clerk's office by the applicant in person or by mail.  An immediate family member may return a ballot, but must show identification and sign the sealed ballot envelope in front of a staff member.  All ballots must be returned by close of business on the day of the election or referendum to be counted. 

Please contact us at 203 271-6601 or at csoltis@cheshirect.org or visit the Town Clerk’s Office for more information.

Pool Solution goes to referendum in November

After a few tense moments last night the Town Council voted to put the Pool Solution on the ballot in November. It was a vote of 8-1 with Mr. Sima voting against. He felt that the committee should have gone with the more expensive option.

We disagree.

The Pool Evaluation Committee worked diligently to arrive at a recommendation that cuts operational costs, reduces closure of pool to 0%, retains the summer feel through removable side panels, is a reasonable cost, and has survived over pools during Hurricane Katrina and Michigan Lake effect snows. It is capable of being insulated better than our attics and it is a permanent enclosure. No more bubble collapses. No more downtime and closure while the bubble is put up and taken down thus decreasing revenue. It is a reliable recommendation that provides year-round, safe swimming for all our citizens.  It is a good solution that we encourage you to motivate all your neighbors to vote yes to.

Here are some views of the Solution. You can see that it is still an open feel and the picnic and grassy areas are preserved. The airlocks are gone and the dangerous doors replaced. The steel tension building is well insulated and strong. Take a look to get an idea of what the Solution will look like.

Vote Yes to the Pool Solution November 5th

7.30 tonight at Town Hall- Pool Solution expected to go to Referendum in November.

Tonight, Tuesday, August 27th at 7.30 Town Hall.

The Council votes on what it will be including in the Capital Budget. We hope to hear that the Community Pool will be sent to referendum in November.

 

Please attend  tonight to show your support.

The Solution to the Pool

From 5 to 7 pm tonight the Cheshire Y Sea Dogs will hold their registration for Short Course season. With swim community goodwill, tenacity, and indefatigable spirit the coaches and team have secured pool time in numerous locations so that the kids can prepare to bring further pride to Cheshire at State Championships, Y Nationals, Junior Nationals (and in Olympic years Olympic trials). I would expect to see many of them come from registration to the town meeting tonight just as they did on school nights in Spring and exactly as they did during the vacation days of August. In the audience too were those who have children with special needs who find respite, joy and exercise at the Community Pool. We had seniors in attendance, some for whom the pool is the only place they can safely move, some rehabbing from hip surgery, some just getting their groove on at AquaZumba! Lap swimmers, many lean and fit, attended to find out if their winter swim would continue. High school kids, worried about homework time being cut into as they travelled out of town for a sport that requires so much time commitment already, they were all there. Multi-generational families that travel as a group to the pool to enjoy a day or evening of swimming and fun sat in attendance to find out the progress of the town asset. 

 The Pool Evaluation Committee has answered all the requests that the town asked for. It provided a pool solution with no downtime unlike the bubble, it cut energy costs by giving an option with insulation rates of R35 (better than many of our attics), it found a solution used over pools that survived Katrina and Lake Michigan snow dumps, it held onto the summer feel by providing a pool with sides that could be removed to allow for a pavilion like structure. Best of all it cut the cost of the previous proposal by more than half.

 Those who complained of energy costs have been heard, those who complained of unavailability are satisfied, those who worry about collapse should have no fear, and those who worry about their tan, well they too were considered
The solution to the pool is a good one. We are confident that tonight it will go to referendum, and we will work tirelessly to let our community know that this is the sensible future of the Cheshire Community Pool.

Recap of the August 20th Capital Budget Hearing

The public hearing went well last night. We had a great turnout. It was a very positive atmosphere. Thank you so much for coming to show your support and thank you to those who spoke in favor of the pool.

Highlights of the evening
Mr. Wetmore who co-chaired the Pool Evaluation Committee addressed many of the concerns of those in the audience who are still making up their minds. He has put together a business report that will be available online, at the Town Library and the Senior Center. He reminded us that the pool is not a business but a municipal entity. He gave us the reality-check figure that the solution to the pool would cost the average homeowner a paltry $2.60 per year. $2 and 60 cents for a solution. He talked of community and how he doesn't use the youth center, have kids in school, use the library and the senior center but pays for it as part of the community "cover charge" as it were. We all pay for roads we don't use and venues we don't attend. It is disingenuous to single out the pool. He commended the volunteerism of the Evaluation Committee and supporters and urged us all to work hard to get the solution passed. 

 Robyn Housemann gave a stirring account of the health challenges facing our society and contrasted them with the benefits of using a pool. She spoke of seniors who often can only exercise in water because of mobility issues. She spoke of the advantages of swimming with regard to heart disease, obesity and diabetes. She urged Cheshire to continue its record of encouragement of activity as evidenced by the existence of the linear trail, open space and Park and Rec programs. She called the pool a "social asset" outlining the mental health benefits of going as a family to swim, in a group to exercise, or individually improving your health.

 The swim teams were represented by Greg Han who told of his personal journey from child to young man and the life lessons he took from swim team's "intense" regimen. He credited his swim achievements with his acceptance to Amherst. Paul Robinson found out from council that there is 275K from insurance regarding the bubble collapse and was assured that it would be spent on pool-related expenses. Denise Bishop, a swimmer's mother, told of her conversion from a parent dropping her child at the pool for practice to an active participant in all the activities that the pool has to offer. She pleaded with the Council to vote for the solution.

 Matt Levine, also on the Evaluation Committee, reminded us all that this is a "community" pool. It serves young and old of all abilities. He noted that the pool was the site of the National Dual Meet record and was a huge source of pride then and should continue to be so. He promised the Council that we would work tirelessly to get the solution passed in referendum.

The Council now takes all these comments into consideration and on the 27th (Tuesday) will vote on the items to be included in the Capital Budget. We will know on Tuesday if the solution will go to referendum in November. Our work then will be getting the information to all our friends and neighbors and making sure that they get out to Vote Yes to the Pool solution. We will be relying heavily on each and every one of the Friends of Cheshire Pool to secure a yes vote. Judging by the performance of everyone so far we are well up to that task !

Write to the Editor

It's Monday. Please take a moment to write to the editors of our local papers to let them know how important the pool is to you. Doing so this week is particularly important as we are very close to the budget vote date. Lots of good information came out of the Town Council meeting

 We are particularly excited by the enclosure's capacity to bear 50" of snow and sustain 130 mph winds, and its capacity to be insulated to the level that you insulate your attic. That will great reduce operating costs.

 We were happy to hear that the pool generates 600K in revenue and was on an upward trajectory of revenue before the blizzard.

 We were mesmerized by the high cost of making it a summer only pool, the fact that the pool was never built to be open in winter e.g. pipes are not below the freezing lev...el, the need for 300K minimum to hard-winterize it, 60K for covers etc. and then an annual 50K to do so each year, the added cost of almost 70k for the high school kids to practice elsewhere, the reduction of the 600K revenue by 75% due to 9 month closure, the fast degradation of an outdoor pool, and the need for security to try to avoid the very costly vandalism of an outdoor pool. 

 We were thrilled to hear that the capacity to have the sides open will retain the outdoor feel in the summer and allow for picnic areas and greens.

 We were also very happy to hear that similar structures up since 2003/4 over large pools like our own had survived Hurricane Katrina in the South and Lake Michigan snows in the North.

Please show your support for the pool by writing to the following media entities

http://www.cheshirecitizen.com/opinion/letters/
https://www.cheshireherald.com/extras/dd-formmailer/letter_form.php
and Cheshire Patch - kathleen.ramunni@patch.com
http://www.rep-am.com/shared-content/perform/?domain_name=rep-am.com&form_template=letters
http://www.nhregister.com/contact/

August 20th meeting- Critical that you attend

We have two very important meetings this month for you to attend.

It is absolutely critical that every supporter attend the Capital Budget meeting on the 20th. The Council will take comments and questions from the public on the Pool Evaluation Committee's choice of the year-round steel tension structure. This is the mid-tier option of 3.2 million dollars. It is designed for a snow load of 50" and can withstand 130mph winds. It will vastly reduce the operating costs of the pool. It is a very good choice.

The meeting is on Tuesday, the 20th at 7.30pm in the Town Hall. We need each and every one of you, your family and your neighbor. We expect this to reach standing room only quickly as the anti-pool contingent are well mobilized this year. Come early and secure seating.

We will also ask you to attend the final vote on the 27th.

There will be several items on the agenda. We ask that you speak at this meeting letting the Council know how much of an asset the pool is to the town, to all our citizens young and old.

 

Our pool benefits our seniors by providing a safe and accessible place to keep fit and mobile.

It benefits those with injuries, allowing them a place to rehab long after insurance stops paying for physical therapy.

It helps those with special needs and sensory issues find a safe and comforting form of physical activity.

It provides swimming lessons that benefit a person throughout their lives.

It provides a place for a family to have fun together in a healthful environment.

It provides a venue for our young children and teens to become disciplined, fit community members  through grueling training that provides lessons for life.

It is a place for fun, alternative, cardiovascular activities including the exuberance of Aqua Zumba, the intensity of underwater hockey and water polo, and the magical experience of scuba and generating revenue along the way.

It acts as a counter to many of our society's challenges; obesity, disenfranchisement of youth, senior loneliness and the long, cold, cabin-fever winters of Connecticut.

 

It is one of the few Town Assets that everyone in Cheshire can avail of, regardless of age or ability. It deserves our support.