Our kids are grown, we don’t swim often, and we are 100% in support of Measure UU. 23 years ago, when we moved to Piedmont with two young boys and a daughter on the way, there was a pool for us because caring people decades earlier had built it. Like most young families we couldn’t afford a private club and we didn’t have enough hours in the day to drive to other towns. The Piedmont pool taught our kids to swim, introduced us to our neighbors and lifelong friends, and provided cool relief on hot nights. It was a gift that Piedmonters whose kids were long grown had given to us, and now we’re thankful for the chance to pay it forward.
The time is right for Measure UU. Our 56-year-old pool is no longer viable — it is no longer functional, and it is decades out of date for competitive swimming, water polo, and recreational sports. If we leave it empty, we deprive today’s families and athletes of an asset we’ve all had the opportunity to enjoy. And if there were ever a moment to take a pool off-line and rebuild it with minimal disruption, it is right now when a global pandemic restricts most swimming anyway. We can build something for the next 50 years now, and give everyone in Piedmont a better place to gather when this sad and lonely time ends.
So whether you ever expect to use the Piedmont pool or not, please vote for Measure UU. A community is more than just people who live in the same space; it’s a space where people look out for one another. Today, our home is literally surrounded by families with young children. They’ve settled here because generations of Piedmonters before them invested in families yet to come. These families make our lives richer (and our homes more valuable). It’s one of the strange joys of living in a place like this that whenever you do something good for others, you somehow find it does something good for you, too. A new pool helps all of us.
Please join us in voting Yes on Measure UU to invest in a healthy Piedmont.
Please be aware that the City council is hiding the fact that $50 million of improvements to the Police and Fire stations are needed just to make sure we comply with the California Essential Services Act and that our fire station does not collapse in an earthquake. They are asking for $20 million for the poll NOW, because if they asked for the $50 million in CRITICALLY needed improvements first, no one would also vote in favor of UU. Demand accountability and financial responsibility from the City Council. Vote NO on UU.