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Beyond the far end of the enormous parking lot, down the steep North Mountain slope that began there, was the central city limits. Immediately at the foot of this slope was the 'backwash', a smelly winding water stream whose origin was questionable. It had the smell of sewage, assumed to derive from the projects, somehow, as there was virtually no working water or sewage in those buildings. If it weren't for the swimming facility and it's working showers and bathrooms, the septic smell would not be confined to this curious run off. The bath room and showers of the projects was the swimming facility, even in winter when the gates were locked. Don't think for a minute that any kid or adult for that matter ever wet his or her pants slowed by twelve foot hurricane fencing with barbed wire. If you asked the kids why it was there, they really didn't know why it was there or what it did. Why white guys put it up when they were the only ones it seemed to slow down was a mystery to those who were too young to understand cash flow. The fences were no mystery to the adults. They knew how the game was played. Obstacle or not, the kids all swam in the backwash when the main swimming facility was closed for reasons of public health. That happened if the chlorine count taken in the filter room dipped while the county health inspector was around. It also happened on special days, days of special city activities. Although the parking lot was much too big for the nearly 100% pedestrian bare footed clientele, imagine the carnivals and civic events that might be set up here. That was not a wasted observation. Geographically, the Costano swimming facility was exactly central on a map of the North Ward. It could serve as a site for county wide activities for the entire region. Come one come all. There was as much poverty north of North Mountain as in the valley looking south. Fishing wasn't what it was in the old Indian days but the new fishing was great. You can cast your political lines in the