Mailbag: Good programs will make pool popular

Good programs will make pool popular

I’m grateful to the city for its Summer Aquatics Program, and in particular the hours dedicated to lap swimming (“Swim lessons remain popular,” July 19).

Normally I log my laps at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center, so for eight weeks out of the year, I revel in being able to walk three blocks to the pool. I enjoy, too, that the pool isn’t very crowded — though I hope the paucity of patrons at 6:30 a.m. doesn’t jeopardize the program next summer!

For the record, the Rose Bowl pools are extremely busy year-round, so I’ll take issue with parks director George Chapjian’s contention that “it doesn’t do ... any good to finish [the Pacific Park pool] up in October.”

Sure, most kids take swimming lessons in the summer, but they can be offered throughout the year. Many other activities can, too, from swimming, diving and water polo teams to water aerobics for seniors to, not least, lap swimming. And this is not to mention that a pool heated to 80 degrees or so provides a wonderful year-round recreational resource for kids and families.

Assuming some or all of these programs can be established and maintained, the pool will remain popular all year long, and will be a tremendous asset to Glendale’s aquatic-inclined citizens for decades.

Mike Diehl

Glendale

Impressions of former Chief Adams

My first impression of our former police chief (“Glendale won’t pick up Adams’ pension,” July 23) was the letter that I received from him, as did other residents of the city, extolling the virtues of building what turned out to be the Americana at Brand. This was shortly after he became police chief.

I remember wondering why he felt it necessary to take a position on such a controversial subject when he had just started with the city. As might be remembered, our then fire chief did not take a position on the project.

My concern was only heightened later when he admitted that he was not familiar with the arguments against building the Americana.

When he was appointed police chief of a city one-sixth the size of Glendale, I thought it was a rather strange career move. I had thought he was more interested in being sheriff of Orange County.

As events of the past several days have proved, however, our former chief had good reason to take the position in Bell. As is often said, when in doubt, follow the money.

John Steele

Glendale

Legalizing pot is a bad idea

I’m 19 years old, and I strongly disagree about making marijuana legal because that will just make our city a dangerous place — full of people who are legally high.

With the upcoming ballot measure in November, if marijuana gets legalized, the crime rate in California will also increase because our cities will be full of people who are high, especially on the road.

In my opinion, the idea of making marijuana legal shouldn’t even have been discussed in the first place.

Nareh Bodaghian

Glendale

FOR THE RECORD: This corrects an earlier version that gave the publication date of “Glendale won’t pick up Adams’ pension” as July 30.