Re: "Don't close outdoor pools," letter to the editor, Friday, March 8.

Dear Ms. Fretwell,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to the letter you received from the city regarding the future planning of our outdoor pools and I am pleased to hear that you have moved back "home!"

Having grown up in the Lincoln Park area, I understand how Sun Valley Park/Pool has impacted our city over the years.

As a growing community, we are continually faced with the challenge of increased demands on our public services, facilities and programs.

With that said, I know council and staff are dedicated to not losing sight of the amenities that make Port Coquitlam a desirable place to live.

As you are aware, the city commissioned a review (prepared by Professional Environmental Recreation Consultants) of our outdoor aquatic infrastructure and services due to the age of the facilities.

They identified that many of our outdoor facilities are beyond their functional life span.

The goal of this draft review was to develop a guide for the city to use over the next 10 to 15 years for future capital budget purposes.

Prior to considering the draft review, council directed the consultants to meet with the community and major stakeholders to receive their comments and obtain input on the recommendations.

Your feedback and comments are important information.

On March 5 an open house was held to gather community feedback to assist in producing an adjusted draft review.

To ensure your comments have been received, I have forwarded your e-mail to the consultants.

It is important to L highlight that the review has remained To in a draft status during the entire public input process to ensure transparency and engagement.

As well, during this process and time, the draft review's content/ recommendations are the opinion of PERC until they are formally brought forward to council in April.

Once again, I would like to thank you for taking the time to respond with your concerns regarding the future direction of our outdoor pools.

Should you have any further questions and/or comments, I encourage you to contact Glenn Mitzel, area recreation manager at 604-927-5183 or mitzelg@portcoquitlam.ca.

Greg Moore Mayor of Port Coquitlam