When you think of Amazon Pool, you may think about your family outings during the summer, the waterslide that motivated your kids to learn how to swim, or the lap swim area and fitness classes that kept you moving. Adding to this fun and healthy environment is Ume Grill, nestled in the south end of Amazon Pool.
Five years ago, Eug Rec adopted nutritional guidelines to align with its goal of providing a healthy and active lifestyle. The soda machines were the first to go from all three city pools. When Amazon’s contract with previous concessionaries ended, a request for proposal sought new concession services.
Ume Grill was chosen because it aligned with Eug Rec’s values and healthy initiative.
“Ume Grill reinforces our values of a healthy and active lifestyle by providing healthy food and promoting our shared values,” Amazon Pool Manager Robbie Guthrie says.
This cohesion of goals carries through in other city initiatives, such as the Love Food Not Waste program. The program provides resources to ensure food scraps are used for compost rather than take up space in landfills. To date, more than 7,000 tons of food scraps have been converted to compost and biogas.
“This initiative will greatly reduce the amount of trash that Amazon Pool sends to the landfill,” Guthrie says.
Ume Grill’s menu is built on the concept of Umami, a savory flavor that is often very closely connected with Japanese cuisine.
When Amazon Pool is closed between September and May, you can find Ume Grill’s food cart at the corner of E 24th and Hilyard.