MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WKRN) — Mt. Juliet commissioners voted to put a $14 million bond referendum in front of voters.

If approved, the money will be used to build the city's first aquatic center.

The price tag is a bit controversial, but one Mt. Juliet mom is pushing for the recreation center's approval based on the lack of access to pools in the city.

After starting swim classes for children in the area, Angela Hendry noticed a big issue in Mt. Juliet. She noticed people didn't have a place to practice swimming and no space was made for parents to work with their kids in the water.

On Monday night, the Mt. Juliet City Commission voted to leave the decision of a proposed recreation and aquatic center on the ballot, letting the people of Mt. Juliet decide if they want to move forward with the pool.

Those who are opposed are concerned that the pool might be too expensive to operate. But supporters like Hendry said it's not fair that Mt. Juliet has to suffer and use other facilities for a skill that's a basic need.

"You have two choices, right; you've got the YMCA in Donelson, which is overcrowded, or you've got the Jimmy Floyd Family Center in Lebanon, which is overcrowded," Hendry said. "We have nothing for our own high schools, our own middle schools and just simply for our own children or elderly."

Hendry is encouraging city leaders to explore options like membership fees to cover costs but said water equity in Mt. Juliet should be a non-negotiable.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/mt-juliet-mom-pushes-for-recreation-center-speaks-out-on-citys-lack-of-pool-access/