It is imperative that Triangle Aquatics Center remain open. It has proven to be a vital asset to our community and greatly appreciated by local patrons as well as those that come from other states. The swim teams that use the pool, along with patrons ages 6 months to 86-plus for swimming, fitness classes and wholesome fun along with the health and safety classes that are taught here are so needed in Wake County.

This facility has indeed brought praise and positive attention to our city. Your consideration and favorable support in the purchase of TAC by the Town of Cary will benefit our community in ways too numerous to list. As taxpaying Cary residents for 39 years, we request and will greatly appreciate a yes vote.

Roger and Hedda Jennings, Cary

Plant easy to justify

The “Plant Hard to Justify” (letter of April 29) provides invalid reasons to halt proposed construction of a regional sewage plant in New Hill. Rising costs of sewage treatment and politics simply do not matter — as long as someone else pays for it and it ends up in someone else’s backyard. Case in point, Progress Energy’s proposal to supply electricity to this plant is extremely high cost — almost double their nearest competitor. Since their competitor cannot supply electricity to property owned by Progress Energy, this makes sewage treatment on property owned by Progress Energy expensive. Cost estimates were tabulated by a company that may have earned future business from Progress Energy, without stated restrictions of future payments from Progress Energy, and absent any analysis of rate increase. A reason to halt construction of the proposed plant is a biased process of evaluation that allows Progress Energy to make sewage treatment on their property expensive.

John Moore, New Hill

Tree irony

As I drove in Walnut Street last Wednesday I thought how ironic it is that the Town of Cary should be cutting down trees on Earth Day. Now of course, I see why it had to happen: The trees in question were heaving the sidewalk and now the damaged pieces are being replaced. That of course brings up the second irony and a good example of the unintended consequences of some landscape decisions. If my memory serves me correctly, the trees in question were the famous Bradford pear trees that the town planted to soothe the feathers of those who complained that Cary was destroying too many trees in its march to progress.

I am glad I am not in the town’s decision loop. It is better to be able to “point with pride and view with alarm!”

Doug Richmond, Cary

Adding insult to injury

I understand that the school system cannot be responsible for teaching our children about every danger that is out there. However, if there is a dangerous activity that some of the children in our school system are engaging in and dying from, why in the world would this topic not be discussed with the students? Most of the parents I have spoken to did not know what the choking game was or that it even existed. I didn’t either, until I read about it in the News & Observer.

How can Enloe High School not want to provide a forum for discussing this dangerous game with the students? This is not some obscure topic that has no relevence to the student body; they just lost a fellow member to this game. Do they think the kids aren’t talking about it? Wake up!

As if that is not enough, I was shocked and dismayed to hear that the poor mother of the student who lost his life to this game, sat at the school for two hours wanting to talk to the principal about this situation and was totally ignored. I am hoping that there was a major lapse in communication and that the principal was unaware that Bobbi Jo Marceno was sitting at the school, waiting to speak with her. Tonya Boezi, Apex

Defending Wake Tech

The athletics program at Wake Tech is not supported by state funds, as Bob DeCatsye’s April 29 letter inaccurately states. The program is funded entirely through student fees and private donations. State law does not permit the use of state funds to support intercollegiate athletics. Last year, after surveying students and researching successful sports programs at other community colleges, Wake Tech increased student fees by $10 for the purpose of establishing and operating an athletics program. The N.C. State Board of Community Colleges encourages colleges to use student fees for such purposes — special events, clubs, organizations, and yes, sports. These activities give students a more well-rounded college experience and, some research shows, may also attract students and improve retention rates. The Wake Tech Eagles compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association, Region X, Division 1, and are doing quite well. The Wake Tech golf team recently finished first in Region X and is seeking private support for a trip to Alabama in May to compete at the national level. Other Wake Tech sports include soccer, volleyball, cheerleading, basketball (starting this fall), and baseball and softball (to start next spring). Visit athletics.waketech.edu to learn more.

Rest assured that Wake Tech will never lose sight of its core mission to provide workforce training and lifelong learning opportunities for the citizens of Wake County.

Laurie Clowers, director of PR, Wake Tech Community College