The pool is one of Rutherford’s most valuable resources and has provided lifelong benefits to generations of Rutherfordians. The RHS pool has taught many community members the life skill of swimming. It has provided many adolescents in the community their first jobs. And it has served as a source of pride and a testament to dedication, health, and wellness. It would be a great shame to demolish it. I grew up in Rutherford and learned to swim in the RHS pool. Competing for the Rutherford Stingrays, the former summer swim team that dominated Bergen County in the 1990s, taught my teammates and me teamwork and perseverance. Some of my first summer jobs were at the RHS pool: teaching swim lessons, lifeguarding, and coaching. In high school, we brought two Bergen County championship titles home to Rutherford. Most important, the skills I learned in the RHS pool have been foundational to everything I have done since, including inspiring my academic and career success and allowing me to summon the strength to overcome adversity. I am sure my former teammates would agree. If the pool were to be destroyed, so would an irreplaceable part of Rutherford’s history.
Having a pool in the school is a great asset to the school system which is important for property values. My children used it extensively. All were on the summer team and one swam for the High School. It was important for me to know they were in town and could get there on their own.
This has been our town pool for so many years. It should be available to everyone from our young children to our seniors. I understand that we have the new YMCA pool but this pool belongs to the citizens of Rutherford and they should be allowed to continue enjoying it along with the RHS students who use it for their swimming classes and the swim team practices. I vote we keep it in town, give it a long awaited facelift but it should stay.
The pool provides an alternate activity for children to learn about exercise and water safety. A local swim team enhances their exposure and sets Rutherford apart as a premiere school district that offers this to it's residents
I am an avid, daily swimmer. Learning to swim is extremely important and the YMCA has done their part in making this happen for our community. Swimming is one of the best exercises for full body health. Our community should be a happy, safe, and healthy one and the pool allows for this.
I think the pool is as important as any other sports field. I don't see a reason why it should be eliminated if Rutherford residents and other people are using it, especially the swim team. It would be better to upgrade the pool or do some repairs instead of getting rid of it. I also think high school kids should have regular swimming classes if they have a pool in the school. My kids will be in high school in a few years and I would love for them to swim during school hours
As a graduate of Rutherford High School I have great memories of using the pool throughout my high school years. Later as an adult I continued to utilize the pool and the services provided by the YMCA through their swimming lesson programs. To see this pool eliminated is a short-sighted solution to a problem.
I have two grandchildren who are interested in swimming and they will be in high school soon. I hope the pool is there so the swim team will always have a place to practice. As a member of the community, I like having access to a pool nearby for exercise.
Unlike the YMCA and Lyndhurst pools, the Rutherford pool is deep water for half its length. The other two pools are wading pools for most of their length. Learning to swim is difficult when a student can stand in the water at will.
My son is on the swim team. Swimming is a life lasting exercise that all kids in our district should have access to.
I believe physical education - swimming for high school students is more important then eating more and more sandwiches and fried chips.
Please, keep the pool running for the health of the kids!
The pool is useful not only for the students but it also provides activities for seniors and younger children that aren't really available any where else.
With so few available swimming pools In the area for family activities this pool is essential.
All of my children were on swim teams at the high school and had lessons in the 4th grade in that pool. That was very beneficial, the lessons for 4th graders, so important for children to learn to swim. I know the school needs more classrooms, but the pool to me is more important than a full lunchroom.
As a 4th grader, my class took trips to the High School pool for bi-weekly swimming lessons, as a High School'er I attended some of my very best friend’s swim meets at this pool. The pool can be beneficial for all as long as it is utilized to the fullest.
The pool is a rare and valuable resource that is utilized by our community. To eliminate it would be a shortsighted mistake.
Because other options are not being fully explored.
I'm a proud graduate of RHS and an even prouder former Bulldog swimmer. I had never competitively swam until the opportunity was offered at RHS. Had it required busing or travel, it is highly unlikely I would've been exposed to a sport in which I learned so many valuable lessons: Hard work, patience, persistence.
"Public pools, like public libraries and local sports venues, show you a slice of a town’s culture that is genuine and personal, and they often introduce you to a bit of the town that reflects something of its heart".
Swimming helps build up strong immune system and is one of the best exercises for all age groups.
Kids get regular healthy, safe overall exercise and learn to be disciplined, responsible. Convenient location close to home and downtown, no need to drive in warm months, saving gas, walking or biking to practice adds to healthy living.
This year my son has qualifying times for Junior Olympics! Big accomplishments have been created here at this pool!
The pool is an important resource. Even without Y support, our town should be involved in helping to run and maintain the pool with the BOE to benefit our students and community. Swimming is a life skill not a luxury. It would be foolish to fill it in especially since one of the renovation concepts provided by the architect can save the pool.
It would be a huge loss to our community to see this go away. It doesn't have to be this way, there are alternative plans that can meet the needs without eliminating the only pool we have.
This pool is a treasured resource that needs investments and improvements and the YMCA is a willing partner to make that a reality.
Prior to opening the new YMCA pool, the swim team would practice with swim lessons or family swim or adult swim taking place at the same time leaving the team crunched into lanes where there is no room! Now with both pools open, the coaches can actually split the groups and work on every swimmer. These kids are dedicated and the town should be proud of them! Some of them even went as far as Junior Olympics!
This pool is centrally located in town, is convenient to get to, is heavily used by the high school & YMCA swim teams and was originally funded as a community pool. It just doesn't make any sense to destroy a facility that is so well used and badly needed.
Since my daughter joined the swim team I have noticed a significant improvement in her self confidence and strive for success. It would be incredibly shortsighted to allow this community pool to disappear from Rutherford.
We still need a pool for exactly the same reasons that we needed a pool in town prior to the building of the high school pool.
Both my kids swim for the Y Sharks Team, and I also believe the pool is a vital community facility that we need to keep. We live in a town with an already very limited number of recreation facilities, it is therefore extremely important for the community as a whole that all existing facilities are retained.
Former Swimmer of Rutherford High School. The pool has been a part of this community. If the RHS swim team gets moved to East Rutherford YMCA they will only have about an hour and a half to practice. And as the patrons grow and gain power the use of the pool will become limited. As a nationally ranked club swimmer and an RHS Bulldog I know how important this pool is to the town. We can not hurt our young athletes. The town will have to pay a fee to practice at the Y. And will have to provide transportation to practice. Although small these expenses will add up. This is not a smart move.
We swam in this pool a lot as part of YMCA and Mayors wellness campaign. New YMCA pool is not adequate. It feels shortsighted to take away a facility we have.
Ease of accessibility at current pool location, and the cost to convert is way too high for the return.
My daughter has been swimming at this pool since the age of 6 years old. She is looking forward to be on the swim team once she gets in high school. Why take away this sport that so many kids enjoy?
It is important to me, because I swim there almost everyday and it is my second home. My team cannot afford to lose this pool.
Swimming is a life skill. Why isn't it part of the curriculum when the pool is here? It's important that each kid learns how to swim.
This is the only pool in our town. It's such a great convenient location, within walking distance for many! Why do we have to give it up? For what we pay in taxes we need more facilities not less!!
With all we now know about the risks of contact sports, why would we eliminate swimming as an athletic option for our kids?
Since my son started swimming, he is a better student, is less stressed, spends less time on screens and is more confident.