Parks and rec district due for levy renewal

The North Whidbey Pool, Parks and Recreation District is due for a levy re-up.

The North Whidbey Pool, Parks and Recreation District is due for a levy re-up on the November ballot.

As approved at a recent board meeting, the district will ask voters to support up to 20 cents per $1,000 assessed property value, which is a continuation of the previous ask, said Chairperson Brit Kraner.

While the levy has failed in the past, causing the closure of the John Vanderzicht Memorial Pool, Kraner said she has high hopes this won’t be a problem this go-around.

“We have a lot of community support, and a lot of people very passionate about the pool, keeping it open,” she said.

The district’s services have expanded greatly since the pool’s 2018 closure, including major facility upgrades and volleyball, swimming, flag football and soccer programs.

“There’s a lot more than just the pool that would be impacted if we were to see a failure,” Kraner said.

The district had come into the spotlight this year as leaders pushed to re-organize as a Metropolitan Park District, which would allow it to collect property taxes without passing a levy on a regular basis. While they decided to postpone this effort, they must secure funding for the next six years.

“I really appreciate our community’s support of our pool,” Kraner said. “Go vote!”