Southside recreation

The Southside Parents group discussed the future of the Chicago Park District's Dyett indoor pool, at 513 East 51st Street, at a recent meeting.
It was first thought that it would close in May. That raised a lot of bells for me because the use of this pool was central in fending off cabin fever and pent up energy for my two pre-school age boys this winter. Many of our friends on the Southside joined us for fun afternoons learning to swim. I am grateful to the wonderful staff, Roland Hunter, Baruch Winters and all the watchful lifeguards there.
At times there were dozens of high school students exercising, learning CPR or playing while younger children were learning to swim. Other weeks, children celebrated their birthdays with friends.
I recently learned that the Dyett pool CLOSES FOR THE SUMMER in June.
Luckily, there is the outdoor, Olympic sized, zero-depth pool with waterslide at Washington Park opening Memorial Day weekend.
Whether Dyett will open in the fall is still a question.
There was talk at Dyett about Harris Park at 62nd & Drexel (a YWCA) being used as a park district facility with pool. It is listed on the website but there's nothing for preschoolers.
We are urging readers to contact the Park District about keeping open the Dyett pool and to increase available services in this region.
The Dyett pool situation is urgent, so please contact the main office of the Park District at 312-742-PLAY to lodge your complaint. We discussed creating a letter writing campaign to the Park District, area Alderman and others to protest the disparity in Park District services between the north and south sides of the city.
For those of you who doubt this, compare the available listings and costs of programming at the Lincoln Park Cultural Center and the South Shore Cultural Center.
It is up to the park users to support the programs that exist, to remind city officials when facilities need repair and to work with the city through Park Advisory Councils to ensure support for the programs and facilities.