Support advisory referendum on pool

I am writing to encourage Villa Park residents to vote yes for the Lufkin Pool referendum on April 2. This is an advisory referendum and will not affect your property taxes - the board will use the results of the referendum to inform their decision about Lufkin's fate when they vote on demolishing the pool in June.

There is not a new recreation center and/or aquatic facility being built in the near future. There is no funding, no plan for what the facility will include and no location identified. Village President Bulthuis has indicated he thinks a new center is 10 years away.

During the time until a new center can be built, Villa Park would be left with one aging pool that does not serve all residents. Jefferson Pool is difficult to use for young families with children of varying ages. Most residents that used Lufkin previously did not go to Jefferson this year - instead opting to swim in other towns or not swim at all in summer 2018.

Closing Lufkin Pool has had little benefit to Villa Park - residents lost a place to swim and the village saved little in expenses by only operating one pool this year. Lufkin Pool typically had more visitors than Jefferson Pool, so the number of people swimming in Villa Park went down significantly. Taking away Lufkin may even affect property values in Villa Park, as the "In Motion" section of the Villa Park website states "what many people notice, and what dramatically enhances property values, is the quality of the community parks." People also notice the lack of parks and amenities.

So vote yes on April 2 for Lufkn Pool - and to give the residents of Villa Park the chance to swim in a well-loved pool that Villa Park needs.

Steve Seddon

Villa Park