Comstock Pool has never been just a body of water to its South Hill neighbors. It’s where you go to catch up on neighborhood gossip and news. As children splash in the shallow end, and adults do laps in the deeper end, neighbors talk across generations.

So Comstock neighbors turned out in good numbers for the first public hearing to brainstorm the design of the new Comstock Pool, which will be built in 2009 with funds from a $42.9 million bond overwhelmingly approved by voters last November. They shared their vision with city parks officials and design consultants. They envisioned a pool that featured modern amenities done with an old-fashioned feel.

At the second meeting, citizens felt discouraged. The design looked too modern, too disjointed, too filled with bells and whistles. It lacked open space for lap swimming. Citizens worried that the design would hinder the flow of conversation.

“It was a frustrating meeting,” said Hanna Franchino, a longtime Comstock resident who was placed on the Parks Bond Citizens Advisory Committee because of her family’s efforts to save the pools. “The overall vision was lost.”

Many left that second meeting with City-Hall-always-wins resignation. But at a third meeting May 14, the revised design was greeted with oohs and ahs, and even some applause.

The design incorporates almost all the neighbors’ concerns. It retains the old pool’s 1930s feel, but boasts some bells and whistles, too. Toddlers and people with disabilities will have zero-depth access. Youngsters will appreciate their giant water toys. And adults will have plenty of room for lap swimming – and conversation.

The citizens who attended the Comstock pool meetings gave up precious evening time to venture into civic life. It paid off.

Public meetings don’t always go that well, because civic life is messy and filled with compromises. But almost every day in the Inland Northwest, public meetings happen on issues that determine the quality of life here. In Kootenai County, for instance, citizens are being asked for input on the comprehensive plan which will guide future land-use decisions.

Comprehensive land use may seem more complex than a pool design, and it helps to be informed before you attend public meetings, but as Franchino reminds citizens: “You don’t need to be an expert. If you have a couple of ideas – or even if you don’t have your own ideas – you can listen.”

Listen, learn, speak up. Help shape the future of everything from a city’s pools to a county’s master plan.