Current Events

West Linn community members in strong favor of possible indoor Aquatic/Community center

Sarah Oliveras
March 19, 2013

West Linn community members have spent a long time waiting for an aquatic center. The possibility of constructing a new community center was introduced in 2000 by the West Linn City Council. However, other issues such as roads, a new police station and water management have been at the top of the councils’ priority list.

City Council members are planning on conducting a survey within the next month throughout the community to see if the idea of a less expensive outdoor pool would meet with a positive reaction. Based on the outcome, the City Council will decide if an aquatic center will be added to the November ballot. So far, however, the reaction has been mixed.

“Why would we want an outdoor pool, even if it’s less expensive? We would only be able to use it four or five months a year,” Steve Rhodes, a West Linn parent, said. Membership would cost around $20- $30 a month per family and raise property taxes by about $35 per year, according to Rhodes.

“The estimated cost for an aquatic center would be $8.7 million on the lower end and $12 million on the upper end,” Mayor Kovash said, “ One of the main concerns throughout the community is the initial cost for taxpayers.”

If built, the aquatic center would include a lazy river, slides, gym equipment, classes for the elderly and day camps.

“Depending on how elaborate they decide to make it, we could have the possibility of having a swim team, a water polo team and possibly even a diving team,” Kovash said.

“We have many kids on the Oregon City Swim Team who live in West Linn. Building an Aquatic Center would not only allow all community members to have a place to swim, it would also give West Linn the identity of being a healthy place to live,” Rhodes said, “West Linn needs some identity.”

“Building an aquatic center would give a boost to West Linn’s sense of community , but the upfront cost is high for us taxpayers,” Rhodes said.

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About the Contributor

Sarah Oliveras, Reporter

Going from a guitar playing, Taylor Swift loving girl, to one day representing and fighting for America’s freedom, Sarah Oliveras, freshman, loves new adventures and giving back. She is inspired by those around her and one day hopes to inspire others as well.

“I think when people are inspired by another, they feel better about themselves and what they do,”Oliveras said. “All I really want to do is help people.”

Oliveras has moved all over the country and even lived in Puerto Rico for two years. From Seattle to Virginia, then to Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and finally Oregon, Oliveras has experienced many different cultures and different ways of life.

“You can walk down the streets of Puerto Rico and hold baby animals,” Oliveras said. “I even learned how to climb bamboo before learning to climb a tree.”

Even though she has traveled all around the world with her family — Heather, her mother, an emergency room nurse, her 12-year old younger brother, Jon, and Robert, her father, who is in the Army as a colonel — Oliveras has always wanted to travel to Japan.

“I want to travel to Japan because I have never been exposed to Asian culture,” Oliveras said. In 20 years Oliveras sees herself in, “some foreign country.” “ I want to travel the world,” she said.

Along with new adventures, Oliveras also likes to try new things. In her free time, she likes to swim and go running. When she hurt her knee three years ago, inspired by her love for Taylor Swift, she decided to pick up her guitar to pass the time. Since then she has enjoyed playing cords and creating her own music. Her favorite thing about playing the guitar is the creativity it brings when writing original songs and music.

One of her favorite quotes is from Picasso, “Everything you imagine is real.” It inspires her to show her creativity, and “think outside the box.”

Oliveras‘s true role model in her life is her father, with whom she is very close. With his work in the army, and his various missions to Iraq helping people all around the world, he inspires Oliveras to give back and appreciate what is given to her. With her dad as her primary inspiration, Oliveras enjoys helping people and various charities. She hopes to inform and inspire people about the dangers of teen suicide and inspire them toward a positive body image. She hopes to do this by letting people know that they are not alone and there are always people to help. Also inspired by her dad, she wishes to attend an Air Force college after high school, and later enter active service.

“I want to join the Air Force because I want to be able to have a say about what goes on in the world,” Oliveras said.

Not only does she look up to her parents but also famous figures such as Helen Keller and Swift.

“I look up to them because they do not complain about the tough situations that they face, they just get through it, ” Oliveras said.

From the diversity of the places she has lived, people she has met along the way, and most importantly with her dad’s influence, these past experiences have shaped Oliveras into the adventure-seeking, caring person, who is always trying to lend a helping hand.