MORGANTOWN — In 2012, the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park was far from a certainty.
It wasn’t a plan or a concept. It was a wish list item.
But even then – some five years before the first shovel of dirt was turned — Monongalia County Commissioner Tom Bloom was selling the project with a promise.
If we can get it built, we’ll teach every kid in Monongalia County to swim.
On Wednesday, Bloom traded the selling for celebrating as the commission announced the creation of the Monongalia County Mini Swimmers program — a collaborative effort between Mylan Park, the Monongalia County Board of Education and the county commission.
The commission has made an initial promise to fund the program to the tune of $200,000 annually for the next three years with a goal of providing a learn-to-swim voucher to every second grader in Monongalia County.
If the student already knows how to swim, it’ll be an opportunity to improve their skills.
The program is open to homeschoolers as well as private and public school students. And if Mom and Dad can’t swim, they can get a voucher, too.
“I’m confident this is something the community has been wanting, to make the pool more community-accessible,” Bloom said. “We have so many students who want to go to the pool and learn how to swim, but have had no way of getting there. Now we’re going to be able to get them there and bring them back.”
Through the program, elementary and middle schools will work with Mylan Park to schedule field trips to the park. In the summer, the BOE will provide bus service to the pool.
Mon Schools Superintendent Eddie Campbell explained that anything beyond the traditional concept of classroom instruction used to be known as “mission creep” in education circles.
Not anymore.
“We feed kids. We clothe kids. We help kids find housing. So the idea of mission creep is gone. Our mission now is to provide students with all types of services,” Campbell said, adding “I think this project is an example and an extension of what we need to do for our children. To be able to provide them with this opportunity to be exposed to water safety is an incredible opportunity for them in their lives.”
The county is funding the program through hotel/motel taxes.
Commission President Sean Sikora said the program’s creation is largely owed to Bloom’s persistence. The commission’s investment is an effort to spur activity at the facility.
“The commission’s involvement in the aquatic and track center is predicated on community involvement,” Sikora said. “This is community involvement.”
In other county news, the county’s tax lien sale for delinquent 2020 property taxes will be held at 9 a.m. Nov. 8 at the Monongalia County Courthouse.
In order to avoid the sale, payments must be made by 5 p.m. on Nov. 5.
Chief Tax Deputy Kelly Palmer said there are currently about 850 properties on the list to be sold.
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