To the Editor:

It is likely many area residents were disappointed that the Wisconsin Rapids only public pool did not open its doors this year due to its deteriorated, end-of-life condition.

The closing has impacted many of us, some more than others. However, having a plan to build a new facility greatly interests the youth of Wisconsin Rapids! The Mayor’s Youth Council surveyed area students in the 9th through 12th grades, to get their feedback.

We wanted to know how they feel about what should be done about aquatics. The results were overwhelmingly positive. The majority of the students want and would use an aquatics facility in Wisconsin Rapids.  About ¾ of the respondents would like it to be at Witter Field, as that is a centralized location that is easily accessible for residents.

We also asked which features should be included in an aquatics facility, with the options of: concessions, slides, competitive swimming lanes, zero depth entry, wave machine, diving boards, and a picnic area.

The sooner we can get everyone on board to establish a direction, the sooner we can get it built!  Let’s make Wisconsin Rapids a place for everyone and a new aquatics facility is the right place to start!

Mayor’s Youth Council