KNISKERN’S TURN: Making The Community Of Des Moines Better
by Jack Kniskern
Special to The Waterland Blog
The Concours d’Elegance Italian Car Show took place a few Sundays ago at the Des Moines Marina, and days prior I met a woman named Janie at The Reuben, where she was hanging a poster to advertise the event. She shared that they prefer the Des Moines Marina to any venue they had previously tried in Seattle. Despite the rain, many attended and hope many more will again next year.
A flower merchant at the Des Moines Farmers’ Market shared that he sold more flowers in Des Moines than at the Seattle Pike Place Market. The market is growing in size and significance, and it is important that we the citizens of the Des Moines Community not only visit this lively community activity, but also patronize it with our purchases – so please make a point to come down every Saturday to the South Marina Park between 10am and 2pm, and remember that the final day is Halloween (Oct. 31st).
Above comments suggest that the Destination Des Moines concept is catching on. Wednesday night concerts in Des Moines Beach Park, and the Flute Quest held with workshops at Saltwater State Park and concerts at Highline Community College were great successes. Continuation and expansion of events such as these can have significant impact on the Des Moines Community.
The city of Des Moines is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The city and it’s citizens should also solidify common aspirations for the next 50 years. Here are three important topics suggested for serious deliberation,.policy making, and decision making:
- How to best save, preserve and operate the Mt Rainier Swimming Pool?
- How to determine and implement the best future use of the Des Moines Elementary School site and buildings?
- How to best contribute to the purification of th waters of Puget Sound?
Community Betterment Teamwork is suggested as the process for addressing community betterment issues. This writing is offered as a starting comment to the Waterlandblog. It is suggested that a hierarchy of communication can grow on the blog, in ways yet to be determined.
Finally, the Waterland Blog itself has great potential to grow as a community betterment tool, and help to feature and cultivate ASPIRATIONS FOR DES MOINES.
More thoughts to follow…
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Jack Kniskern is a retired Architect and longtime Des Moines Rotary Club member. He designed many buildings in Des Moines, such as the City Council Chamber Building and Auntie Irene’s. Jack also participates in the Rotary Dictionaries by the Dozens project which has given every third grade student in Des Moines a dictionary every year for the past five years. Jack got his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University off Washington and Master of Architecture degree from MIT. We are happy to have him as our latest Contributor to The Waterland Blog! Read more about Jack here.]
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Jack Kniskern is one of the most admirabel people that I have had the pleasure of sitting with from time to time and his aspirations for Des Moines most nearly match that of my household and friends. On thei ssue of the pool though, I and many that I know, will be voting against this proposal to save the Mt. Rainier Pool. Not that the pools’s salvation is not a good and worthy cause but the way our city proposes to fund it. Due du a lack of fiscal responsibility, we as homeowners will be asked to offset this irresponsible accounting and distribution of our tax moneys. We do not see our home as a council “piggy bank” to fall upon when good budget practices are ignored. We live in a community that has a swimming pool and pay monthly for its use whether it is used or not.. There is no doubt that the Rainier pool should continue to be available to all citizens but, in my humble opinion, it needs to be funded mostly by the people who actually use it, supported by a reasonable expenditure and subsidized by the city of Des Moines’ budget. Look to who was on the bridge as our city ship began to founder!
Jack Kniskern is one of the most admirable people that I have had the pleasure of sitting with from time to time and his aspirations for Des Moines most nearly match that of my household and friends. On thei ssue of the pool though, I and many that I know, will be voting against this proposal to save the Mt. Rainier Pool. Not that the pools’s salvation is not a good and worthy cause but the way our city proposes to fund it. Due to a lack of fiscal responsibility, we as homeowners will be asked to offset this irresponsible accounting and distribution of our tax moneys. We do not see our home as a council “piggy bank” to fall upon when good budget practices are ignored. We live in a community that has a swimming pool and pay monthly for its use whether it is used or not.. There is no doubt that the Rainier pool should continue to be available to all citizens but, in my humble opinion, it needs to be funded mostly by the people who actually use it, supported by a reasonable expenditure and subsidized by the city of Des Moines’ budget. Look to who was on the bridge as our city ship began to founder!
Pat . . . . . I supported the vote to put this on the ballot in November. It seems like the only solution to resolve this once and for all. The City as most people know took over to pool because King County was going to mothball it along with other pools in the county six or seven years ago because they couldn’t pay for it’s upkeep and operation. So we have tried our best to keep it a viable recreation facility until now and now we can no longer afford it either. I believe there will be many people who will share your opinion that you think the people that use it should pay for it as other’s who believe it’s worth adding more money on our property taxes to pay for the pool. It will be interesting to see how the public will vote on this in November. Anyway, we’ll see what happens.
Here is my promise…If this pool closes for even one minute…it will never return.
There has to come a time during a period of financial carnage that kids, families, and seniors receive the proverbial “bone”. It is children and the elderly who must take the brunt of budget cuts every time and I am tired of it. Families are paying for increased costs to play afterschool school sports and other parks and rec. activities, I am referring to the few that are left of course. It is time to quit being selfish; step up and think of your neighbors and friends and not just yourself for a change.
We as a community are better for having a pool, whether you swim or not. The Mt. Rainier Pool is the last family and individual “event” in this town. THERE IS NOTHING ELSE TO DO HERE.
It is time to stop using this smoke screen of calling everything fiscally mismanaged…show me the proof of mismanagement. It is very easy to say but usually holds little or no merit and can destroy trust even though it is not true. I can write that “there is a large hole in the middle of Marine View Drive right down by the flag pole”. Just because I wrote it doesn’t make it true, but I am sure people will repeat it. See how that works?
Our children are unable to vote…they need and want this pool. Therefore, it is up to us to make it happen. FAMILIES AND SENIORS OF DES MOINES…YOU ARE THE ONES THAT CAN KEEP THIS NECESSARY ACTIVITY ALIVE!!! YOU MUST GET OUT AND VOTE FOR THE POOL!! DON’T FORGET…DON’T GET TOO BUSY…DINNER CAN WAIT A FEW MINUTES…PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR AND MAKE IT A PRIORITY…THAT IS ALL WE HAVE TO DO!
It is well known in town that I am not ever considered a “selfish person” beyond that, I still do not believe my home should be a “piggy bank”. As a senior on retirement income, our pensions do not increase as quickly as tax penalties. Someday you younger ones will see what I mean. Your views and opinions are great to review and it reminds me of why I served this great country into retirement myself. Susan White is a lady that we have voted for since she first appeared and, of course, we respect her opinion and choices. Ultimately, the voters will decide tha path for the pool and I wish good luck to both sides. You Brenda, are, i my humble opinion, a pillar of community spirit and always there to help.
Brenda,
I couldn’t agree more! Every time we selfishly don’t want to open our pockets, we use the excuse of financial mismanagement. The truth is that the City of Des Moines has been trying to keep the pool open, but unless Proposition 1 is approved on Nov. 3, the pool will close! What a tragedy! Unthinkable, that as a community we could regress that far! I am so saddened to think that children would have less opportunity than I had some 30+ years ago living in this same community.
Do we realize all that takes place at our humble Mount Rainier Pool?
Olympic level athletes train at the Mt. Rainier Pool. Ariana Kukors, who just broke the world record in the 200 Individual Medley, swims at our Mt. Rainier Pool.
All of the high school swim and dive teams from the entire Highline School District train and hold competitions at the Mt. Rainier Pool. Without this pool, those programs will most likely be cut. Our community students will not have the same opportunities as their peers from outside communities.
Children learn to swim at the Mount Rainier Pool. Nine Americans drown every day, three of them being children. We live in the “Waterland” community. The number 1 way to protect is to teach to swim, something that the Mt. Rainier Pool has been doing all of these years.
Elderly citizens and all ages use the Mt. Rainier Pool to stay fit and healthy.
The pool provides a healthy recreational outlet for our youth, families, and people of all ages.
As a community, how can we let this legacy close? Proposition 1 doesn’t even cost that much, 20 cents per $1000 assessed value. For the owner of an average $280,000 home, it amounts to $56 a year or approximately $1 a week. $1 a week? Is that what we can’t afford? People, skip your latte or whatever it is, and let’s invest and take pride in our community!!!
Carol and Brenda,
I’m with you on this. Pat, I hope you know I adore you, and on most things I agree, but on this one I just can’t.
The North Hill PTSA has formally voted to support Proposition 1 and we hope other DesMoines Parent Groups will do the same.
We need to remember the pool is a community center that just happens to offer swimming. I have pictures from my now 14 year old daughter as an infant swimming with her dad at “Baby and Me” swim classes. Birthday parties, slumber parties, sports team parties, “Mom I’m bored” afternoons, get togethers with friends and PTSA events are just a few of the many times the pool is used by my family. I’m only speaking to my own use, I’m not even accounting for the actual swim team use which builds and brings together community and the use by our seniors. Are we really ready as a city to say that resources that make DesMoines a more family friendly community are not welcomed or needed??
White Center has lost their pool and their residents were not even given the option of deciding to support their community. SeaTac will tell you they have their new YMCA “community pool” but there is a membership cost associated with swimming there. Normandy Park boasts two swim clubs at Olympic View and Normandy Park Swim Club, but with memberships hovering around the $600 per season mark, it is a prohibitive prospect to take the kids swimming.
We have the opportunity to do the right thing by voting to pass Proposition 1.
I love this pool and mount rainier needs it for their swim practice. Where are we supposed to swim when it’s cold outside? It’s great for fundraisers and events. It needs to stay!
Let’s also clear up confusion on another point, misquoted by the Highline Times. The YMCA pool in SeaTac was not built to competition pool standards. It cannot be used by swim teams, and it cannot be used for competition purposes. If the Mount Rainier pool closes, the Highline School District has nowhere to swim.
Also, users of the Mount Rainier pool do currently pay for use. It’s just not enough to cover the costs of maintaining a pool. To charge more or to make it a private pool, would make it cost prohibitive for many to participate. At that point, it’s no longer a community center, but another club for the rich.
Thank you, Normandy Park residents, for telling us Des Moines taxpayers how to vote on this levy.
Thank you, Dyer, for not even trying to disguise your contempt for anyone with an opinion. I’m in high school and can’t even vote but i still want my opinion to be heard. I think the Mt Rainier pool should stay open. A lot of my friends are on the swim team and they practically live at that pool. If it were to be closed down, it would be like losing a home.
Yes, thank you Normandy Park…for also putting this on your metropolitan park measure to help assist in supporting the pool. I like it when communities work together; it is good for all of us. Too bad there are people out there who only seek to divide! I say UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL!
In light of today’s announcement regarding the proposed dismemberment of the Parks and Recreation Department, the Metropolitan Park District for the pool vote is even more important…
Let’s not get discouraged, we can all sit around and complain and point fingers, that is the easy part…however we need solutions people, creative solutions!!!
As a Mt. Rainer grad I would just like to say that I spent four amazing years in that pool. I experienced winning state because of that time, and like Kelsey’s friends, It was my second home. The memories, and friendships that I made from being on swim team are priceless. Before that, as a kid, I learned to swim in that pool. I’ve taught people to swim and dive there. My friends and I spent countless rainy cold fall evenings learning to dive there. Developing habits for a healthy active lifestyle. I would not be the person I am today if it wasn’t for my experiences under that steamy roof. I am an adventurous person, and my life always seems to run into water. I have bumped into some people who can’t swim. I said “You cant swim?!” They said,” no, I never had the opportunity.” Isn’t this America… the land of opportunity? Why would you vote to deny the generations to come this opportunity? For $1 a week…
Just my two cents