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Iowa City, give Robert A. Lee pool attention it deserves
Anne Stapleton
Apr. 14, 2025 6:00 am
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As I swam in the Robert A. Lee (RAL) pool in March, an unexpected snowfall provided a stunning sight framed by south-facing windows. Enjoying the view, pool users greeted each other cheerfully, engaged in healthy exercise.
Unfortunately, a series of administrative cuts starting in 2022 have diminished access to the RAL pool, despite citywide support for this valuable resource. (The Gazette, Sept. 10, 2022, “Findings support saving RAL pool,” and records from City Council and Parks and Recreation meetings, including signatures of support from more than 1100 Iowa City citizens.)
Cuts include:
- Decreased hours, now 6:15 a.m.- 1 p.m. on weekdays, with Saturday closures at 1:00 or 3 p.m. For decades, afternoon and evening hours welcomed people after school and work, plus weekends.
- The pool party option was discontinued last winter, eliminating an excellent community-building opportunity.
- Recommended pool repairs have not occurred, despite the consultant’s conclusion that the facility could operate “for many years” if completed (“Condition of the Pools” report, 2022.)
Despite unwarranted cuts, the RAL pool is awash with eager users. According to IC Parks and Recreation, attendance has doubled since October 2022. In December 2024, the Iowa City Community Recreation Center was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Administrators, please reinstate RAL’s pool hours to equal Mercer’s and undertake deferred maintenance. Given City Park pool’s closure this summer, citizens deserve improved access to their downtown pool. For those who haven’t been to RAL recently, don’t wait another day to enjoy this historic gem!
Anne Stapleton
Iowa City
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