Paul Harris, an employee with the Trenton Recreation Department, estimates that more than 800 water lovers visit Hetzel Pool daily. Let’s say Hetzel opens for 80 days during the summer. That’s 64,000 people, mind you, many regulars, splishing and splashing. Now, imagine the potential for outsourcing information to these city residents. City officials and agencies are seated on a gold mine. In fact, non-profits and other organizations that outreach with myriad social services should move their offices poolside during summer months. Trenton needs to reach residents about many issues including health, recreation, education, bullying, mental illness, food insecurity, immigration, shelter, etc. With pools open at four other locations — Cooper, Father Rocco, Martin Luther King and Roberto Clemente — think about all those people, including parents and students, waiting for information about, let’s say, school registration. Yes, school just let out for the summer but September lurks around the corner. Residents need information, especially regarding making Trenton a clean city. Conditions move toward emergency status as people throw trash onto city streets and unreliable street sweeper machinery compounds issues. Raise your hand if seeing a person opening a car door then dropping garbage into the street shreds your last nerve. A personal peeve involves people who toss baby diapers onto streets. Collected a weighted diaper Wednesday morning during a street cleanup. A pool message would inform residents to end this behavior and to not discard food onto streets. And, residents could be told August 3 (South Ward), 10 (North) 17 (East) and 24 (West) represent dates for pickup as part of a city-wide cleanup. For the record, being clean should exist as a way of life, a no-frills exercise that should garner minimal recognition. Personal pride forms as residue of maintaining a clean home or residence. Imagine that message being transmitted at every city pool for more than two months. Trenton residents find transformation by receiving valuable instruction and information on a regular basis. ************* Received numerous messages regarding a column about how many Trenton residents, particularly youth, have limited water skills. One reader noted that being able to swim listed as a graduation requirement for Trenton Central High School students. What happened? Not sure how such a valuable skill disappeared from life’s toolbox. A solution to make inroads on this life-threatening issue involves (drumroll, please) — Swim Week. For one week, preferably in June, all city pools will offer swimming lessons for children and adults between the hours of 9 a.m. and 12 noon. This initiative could jumpstart interest and alleviate fears of being in water as participants will learn the basics such as proper breathing, floating, kicking, etc. Progress will spark interest and further development which would continue throughout the summer. We have a responsibility to teach children how to read, swim, learn, and myriad other life skills. Let’s swim Trenton! L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at LAParker@Trentonian.com.