What wonderful news. This facility helped me greatly, after an injury several years ago. I know many people went there, regularly. It is a place for healing not only from physical wounds, but also a place where everyone knows names of other people, a community-building location. This is cause for joy. Thank you for this article and to the people that made this other-centered decision.

Yay! Thanks for telling us about the campaign, Weekly!

I personally benefitted from the warm water pool. The most wonderful things will happen when people like me can only do aquatic exercises due to knee problems. The people are so friendly and supportive. It is like a big family!
I am so glad to hear about this good news.

Abilities United is a wonderful organization which serves so many people in our communities, so this is fantastic news!

This is such positive news. Thank you kindly for letting us know. I will look forward to the re-opening of this pool and meeting again all the people who are just as thankful as I am.

Congrats that Abilities will rebuild their facilities.

My only concern is the comment in the article that states that real estate professionals are volunteering their time to help with the redevelopment plan. I hope the plan does not include developing some or all of the current site to pay for the redevelopment. One of the greatest strengths of the current site is the great location and easy parking. As a former user of AU for orthopedic rehab, I would hate to see the location change or become less accessible.

Let's hope for a plan that is not so grandiose that normal community fund raising will be sufficient without the "help" of real estate developers.

Reestablishing an aquatic center in our area is really important!
Years ago it served me really well with symptoms of lumbago
Over the last year or more the pain has become worse again. I had mentioned to a Los Altos physician treating me and more or less giving up on any treatments how much the hot water pool had helped me long ago but that we didn't have such a facility any longer.
He referred me to the Timpany Center in San Jose. Despite the long drive to there, after a few sessions with an in-pool therapist I am already much improved and managing without pain reducing medication.

I developed a serious neurological disease late last summer, and the Betty Wright Center closed just as I needed it most--after a month in subacute rehab. A warm water pool was exactly what the neurologist ordered, but since it is now,unavailable, I am relegated to a cold water pool which actually shocks my de-myelinated nerves and stiffens the muscles. But, it is better than nothing.

Since I am stuck with this disease for the rest of my life, I hope they can bring back a warm water pool locally in a reasonable length of time!

Palo Alto has long led in providing health promotion programs. And, the Betty Wright program was a leader in disability inclusion way before such efforts became mainstream. The ties to the community and the nation at large runs deep. For example, Betty led a Stanford disability program for nearly 30 years, shaping Stanford undergraduate scholar-athletes' perspectives and values (many who became staff and volunteers in the program). Today, more than 1,000 people have served as staff of Betty Wright's aquatic programs between 1968 (the center's opening) and 2013 (closure of the 3864 Middlefield site). I feel proud that Abilities United's board of directors have agreed to carry this legacy forward, with approving redevelopment. Shelley Hebert, who led the Palo Alto JCC, is now a project manager to this project. How exciting for Abilities United!