With the summer swimming season drawing to a close, area leaders are trying to assess the first few months of the new public swimming pool.

YMCA and Natchez-Adams Recreation Commission leaders have not been forthcoming with initial operating costs yet, which probably suggests the costs outweighed the revenue.

And that would not come as a shock as any new endeavor will have start-up costs, some expected, others not expected.

But with the pool officially launched, we encourage area leaders to remember the mandate at the poll voters made several years ago with resounding support for the city and county to work together on a comprehensive recreational complex.

Improving recreational opportunities will improve the quality of life for residents and serve to help attract new people to our community as well.

But it takes a little vision and persistence to see it through. The Natchez-Adams County Recreation Commission has commissioned plans for a beautiful complex and a wonderful location — the Natchez bean field site — exists for the complex.

But years of talking, all we have created is a swimming pool. It’s a great pool, but it’s only a toe dipped into the water of the greater recreational ocean.

Now that the pool is behind us, we urge citizens to speak up about the importance of recreation and push our elected leaders to make it happen.

The need to take the full plunge in recreation is long overdue.