By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


Following news that the Howell Area Aquatic & Fitness Center is closing, an online petition effort has been started to try and convince officials to change their mind.

The closure, which was announced earlier this month, was said to have been the result of difficult budget decisions made by the Howell Public Schools district. The Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority has handled management and operations of the center for an annual fee of $114,000. However, Superintendent Erin MacGregor says with a projected $4.5 million reduction in the district’s general fund, that payment was discontinued.

In response, a petition at Change.org was initiated by pool volunteer Kevin Shopshire following WHMI’s story about the closure. It seeks 500 signatures, and as of this morning has garnered more than half of that goal. The petition states that the pool has served residents of Howell Public Schools since it was opened in 1993, “after community activists worked hard to open it” and that in that time is has taught thousands of children to swim, even from communities outside district boundaries. “It has been a lifeline to senior citizens, not only for exercise, but the community and fellowship it provides, such as the arthritis class and Swim-o-rama. Many of these seniors do not have children or grandchildren in the schools, yet they are still paying property taxes, like the $39 million bond to fund capital improvements last spring. It has helped the Boy Scouts earn merit badges, the Howell Area Fire Department and Sheriff’s Department dive teams have trained there. Gym classes have also been taught there, too.”

The petition lists all of the emails for members of the Howell School Board as well as MacGregor, who says a recommendation on the future utilization of the pool has yet to be advanced to the school board for a decision.