SPLASHForward

Hello PNS Coaches and Teams,

The next major moment we’ve been waiting for is here! We invite you to be a part of history for the new Bellevue Aquatic Center by clearing your calendar for the evening of September 17^th! We need to pack the room at the Bellevue City Council meeting to show community support for the new Bellevue Aquatic Center at Bellevue Airfield Park. Trust me, the opposition (Save Airfield Park) will be there in force.

At the September 17^th Bellevue City Council meeting, the council will be considering the adoption of their preferred master plan for Bellevue Airfield Park which includes the game-changing new Bellevue Aquatic Center. The concept plan that we helped form is a 130,000 sq ft public aquatic center that will change lives, create countless new aquatic opportunities and build dreams on every level. It will be a year-round vibrant hub of community activity. A year-round place to meet, to recreate, to learn essential life skills, to celebrate birthdays, to compete, to train, to cross-paths, and to build community. A safe and inclusive community place.

Are you tired of…
Endless swim lesson wait lists or lack of availability of swim lessons? Limited access to pools? Summer only access to aquatic programs? High School swim, dive, and water polo practices outdoors? Meets outside of Bellevue and late at night? Lack of affordability to learn to swim and recreate? Not having a public aquatic center for all?

It’s beyond time for new public pools and we need you to help us underscore our collective community support for the new Bellevue Aquatic Center.

This isn’t just another City Council meeting. It has been years in the making going back to 2009 when the feasibility study was shelved due to the economic downturn. SPLASHForward took up the torch and quest for a major new public aquatic center in 2017 and formalized our nonprofit in 2018. We’ve partnered with the City of Bellevue, the Bellevue School District, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bellevue, Rainier Athletes, Samena Swim and Recreation Club, and countless other aquatic facilities, teams, and community organizations to develop the new Bellevue Aquatic Center facility design and partnership opportunities.

Come be a part of history!

Start forming your plan to show up with your friends, your team, or on your own and join us.

1. Wear your BLUE (any shade) or SPLASHForward gear. We will have “I Support” cards prepared for you to wave and show your support as council discusses the master plan and considers adoption.
2. Please fill out your response for “Why support the new Bellevue Aquatic Center at Bellevue Airfield Park”. We will collect as many as we can to share with the City Council ahead of the meeting.
3. You can also find a template letter here to customize and send to City Council before the 17^th (mailto:council@bellevuewa.gov)

Thank you for your support & we look forward to seeing you on the 17^th!

Tuesday, September 17^th

• Bellevue City Hall - 450 110^th Ave NE, Bellevue
• 6pm
  • Oral Communications start just after 6pm (we will have 3 speakers prepared)
  • Agenda item for Bellevue Airfield Park – TBD, we won’t know until a few days before. We’ll share details closer to the meeting. Watch our social media!

We will be giving away a limited amount of SPLASHForward Pools Are Cool T-Shirts between 5:15pm and 5:45pm at Bellevue City Hall. Come early and score your shirt!

Please share this email and let us know if you have any questions.

Thank you for your continued support!

Warmly and with great anticipation for what is to come,

Susan

p.s. If you would like to learn about the history of our efforts, then I encourage you to check out www.splashforward.org and our Latest News page. You can also sign up for our newsletter!

We envision a world where everyone is safe around water and has equitable access to best-in-class aquatic centers that are vibrant places of pride and inclusive for all.

Our mission is to build healthier, stronger, and safer communities by creating equitable access to aquatic facilities and programs that build essential life skills, inclusion, connection, and active lifestyles.