CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — At Cumberland Pool, it’s now safe to go back in the water with a puddle jumper.
As long as it’s U.S. Coast Guard approved.
City parks and recreation officials wasted no time after a resident appeared at the June 30 City Council meeting to speak out against long-standing regulations against the
flotation devices
in the preschool lane of the pool.
Jason Davis launched an
online safety petition
after he and his 4-year-old daughter were told by lifeguards that her puddle jumper — a life vest with attached arm “floaties” — was prohibited.
After his comments, City Council President Tony Cuda told Davis he’d already received a memo from City Parks and
Recreation Director Andres Gonzalez
about some proposed rule changes, with a decision expected in the coming week.
In a week’s time, there they were.
And so was Davis, at the July 7 special council meeting to provide an update.
Although disappointed with what felt like an update merely addressing his “niche concern,” Davis said he was not there “to let perfection be the enemy of good.”
Davis added that they were meaningful changes, possibly a springboard to advocate for more.
“In contention are two standards: excellence in water safety and excellence in swim education,” Davis stated on his website. “Cumberland Pool must provide both.”
In his July 7 comments to council, Davis said he was fortunate to meet with Gonzalez, who reportedly described this year’s changes as a “stepping stone.”
At the same time, Davis said he was told that “large changes at mid-season are disruptive for lifeguards and pool operation.”
Davis cited the deep end as the city’s reason to not allow life jackets more broadly. Davis said other pools solve this by restricting the puddle jumpers from deeper water.
As a result of the meeting, “I was left with confidence that more positive changes are on the way,” Davis said.
He then mentioned one that might go unnoticed.
“The preschool lane now has in-water ‘plainclothes’ lifeguards,” Davis said, calling it “excellence in water safety and a possible path forward for excellence in swim education as well.”
Davis hopes these lifeguards might evolve into “water coaches demonstrating techniques to parents and providing informal instruction as situations arise,” to foster a more collaborative and supportive environment.
“National guidance tells us that learning to swim is the best thing for water safety,” Davis said, adding that becoming a strong swimmer takes years, not days.
“We must create a safe, nurturing environment to foster a love for swimming — not a fear of drowning.”
Davis said he is not a fan of the new requirement for two forms of identification showing proof of Cleveland Heights residency.
He learned it was a response to non-residents causing disturbances at the pool.
Road alerts
In other business at the July 7 special council meeting, the city also changed course on the Euclid Heights Boulevard repaving project, switching to the eastbound (outbound) lanes, instead of the
previously approved
westbound (inbound) lanes.
The ordinance states that city officials realized that after passage in February, the eastbound lanes were in more urgent need of resurfacing, as Councilman Jim Petras also pointed out at the meeting.
That being said, there will still be a single lane of traffic going in both directions on the westbound side of the median once work starts and the eastbound lanes are closed off.
— Mayor Kahlil Seren noted that the paving of North Park Boulevard from Delaware Drive to Martin Luther King Boulevard should have been wrapping up.
However, the westbound lane of North Park between Coventry and Arlington roads (starting at North Woodland Road) would remain closed as the Cleveland Water Department continued line replacements
— Also on July 7, eastbound Cedar Road was again reduced to one lane to allow for the resumption of construction of The Marquee at Cedar-Lee.
This came after a Jan. 24 fire destroyed the apartment complex under construction.
“This $66 million redevelopment is progressing rapidly, thanks to the preservation of existing infrastructure and expedited approvals,” city officials noted in a press release.
Westbound traffic remains unchanged. Drivers should plan alternate routes.
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Sun Press
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