By Nick Sortal
Staff Writer, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
March 5, 2004

HOLLYWOOD * A dozen officials from across Broward County cut the large red
ribbon, children waded into the water and residents from the Driftwood
neighborhood smiled.

The Driftwood Community Pool is open, simultaneously addressing appeals by
area residents and a county mandate to provide more pools to teach children
to swim.

The grand opening for the pool, at 3000 N. 69th Ave., was Monday. Broward
Public Schools Superintendent Frank Till, Broward Commissioner Lori Parrish
and Hollywood city officials were among the speakers.

The $1.1 million pool was partially paid for with a $650,000 grant via Swim
Central, a project involving Broward's public schools and the Broward Parks
and Recreation Division created to reduce the number of child drownings in
the county.

About $17 million from a Safe Parks and Land Preservation Bond that Broward
voters approved in November 2000 is being used to build pools near
elementary schools so children can walk to water-safety lessons.

The Driftwood pool is next to Driftwood Elementary School, and that school's
children will begin water-safety lessons on April 26.

"This is an ideal example of what the Swim Central money should be doing,"
said Swim Central Director Kim Burgess.

But the pool also goes a long way toward improving the Driftwood community,
said Gretchen Tindle, secretary of the Driftwood Civic Association. A $3.4
million community center remodeling project was completed 18 months ago, and
Driftwood Park's ball fields have been regraded, refenced and reconfigured.
The pool is the final piece.

"This is beyond our wildest dreams," Tindle said.
The neighborhood, located less than a mile from the city's boundary with
Pembroke Pines to the west, can enjoy its improved status, said City
Commissioner Fran Russo.

"It's a milestone for the city of Hollywood, not west Hollywood," she said.
"There is no such city as west Hollywood."

Monday, about 40 neighborhood children tried out the pool, which has water
only ankle-deep at its entry way. The pool gradually deepens to about 3 feet
in the center of its 70-foot width, then reaches a maximum of 5 feet toward
its other wall.

There are three lanes of lap swimming along the 5-foot depth. The pool is 25
yards wide.

Hollywood Mayor Mara Giulianti said she likes the idea of having a pool with
a gradual, shallow entry.

"This way, people are less fearful of entering the water," she said. "That's
why everybody loves the beach."

The water will be maintained at about 84 degrees. Competitive swimming pools
are at about 78 degrees, but a Swim Central grant requirement is for its
pools to be for instruction, and students are more comfortable in the warmer
water, said Marcy Decker, Hollywood's aquatics superintendent.

Driftwood resident Linda Hazinski said she plans to take her child to the
pool for swim lessons, and Fred Hayden, a father of three, said his family
also will visit, even though there's a pool at their apartment complex.
"It'll be a good outing to come here," he said.

Swim Central grant money also is being used to build outdoor pools at the
South Broward Family YMCA in Hollywood and Meli Park in Dania Beach. In
Hallandale Beach, money was used to refurbish the city's pool.

Nick Sortal can be reached at nsortal@sun-sentinel.com or 954-385-7906.

Copyright (c) 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel