The pool is located at 5001 W. Alden Bridge Road, The Woodlands.
Among the concerns voiced by parents was that the team could not be sustained if the children did not have a place to practice locally outside of the peak of the summer season. Parents reported children emerging from the pool with blue lips, shivering, in the cooler months. Practice times listed on the Bridge Bats website are in the early morning and the evening, several days a week.
Because the matter was not on the agenda for the meeting, board Chair Gordy Bunch said the board could not immediately respond to the concerns.
“We are dependent on having this heater in place to be able to swim year-round,” said L.J. Lambert, a parent of children ages 5 and 8, adding that he believes the team helps children to build confidence and discipline.
Other parents said The Woodlands location was the only one nearby, and their children’s participation was contingent on being able to access The Woodlands pool. Other practice locations listed on a website for the Bridge Bats includes locations in Houston and Katy.
“If we don’t get a heater my daughter won’t be able to swim; all the other arguments are the same for our family, and there are a lot of kids in this program that will benefit if a heater gets put in place,” parent Amy Kemp said.
Multiple parents noted the club was willing to fund the heater.
Bunch said the club had reached out to him, and Chief Operating Officer Chris Nunes would communicate with the club. Bunch said the matter would be revisited at a future meeting. The board also discussed adding township ponds to the agenda, as several residents have spoken about the condition of the township ponds following the year's drought.
The next meeting of The Woodlands Township board of directors is Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. at 2801 Technology Forest Blvd., The Woodlands.
