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Dear Editor,
Thanks for your coverage of the April 15 Socorro City Council meeting. NM Tech’s senior water aerobics group was led by Patti Chavez with over a dozen active citizens who presented our concerns about limited access to swimming. Water exercise is a vital part of the health of many area residents, not just from Socorro, but also from Magdalena, San Antonio, Lemitar, etc. Exercising at the pool gets us out of our homes - running errands, paying bills, visiting friends, shopping - supporting our community. The aerobics group celebrates together once a month, (often as many as 30 of us) sharing brunch at local restaurants. As our residents age, it becomes crucially important to exercise, and to interact with others in meaningful ways.
However, pools take a lot of maintenance and, as Mayor Basker noted, a lot of money to update. Tech’s pool needs both. The city of Socorro’s Swim Center has an Olympic sized pool, beautifully clean and well kept, but it’s only open 2 months a year. We need more. Socorro High School’s excellent swim team, our youth and families, our seniors, visitors, folks with health or mobility issues ... everyone benefits when swimming is available. Increased accessibility to water sports will bring more people to town, more people to support local businesses.
Mayor Bhasker proposed that the city, the county, the schools, and the college collaborate in a 4 prong effort to make our pools available all year. It won’t be easy, and it won’t be quick, but everyone will benefit.
Thank you.
Margaret DiBella
San Antonio
