Laguna considers building another city pool
High demand for use of Laguna Beach’s community pool, on Park Avenue across from Laguna Beach High School, has the city eyeing Lang Park as a possible site for a second pool.
Assistant City Manager Christa Johnson shared the news with the Laguna Beach Unified School District and City Council during their joint meeting last week.
Councilman Bob Whalen had noted that residents have spoken at meetings about the lack of pool time, especially with youth programs extending into the night.
“If there is any glaring need in programs, it would be a pool,” trustee Ketta Brown said during the joint session.
The city and school district share the pool through a joint-use agreement. The entities would need to amend the agreement if a second pool were built, Johnson said in a follow-up email.
On a typical school day, the city hosts lap swimming and water aerobics classes from either 6 or 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., then Laguna Beach High water polo and swim teams use the pool until 6 p.m, and from 6 to 9:30 p.m., the city youth water polo and swimming programs have their time, Johnson wrote in the email.
Trustee Carol Normandin said families are not happy with the 9:30 p.m. finish time.
“Parents want [their children] to be in [the programs], but they don’t want them to be out that late,” she said.
Laguna Beach High Athletic Director Lance Neal said a second pool would help the school’s water polo and swim teams get adequate practice time.
“In the boys’ polo season [in the fall], it’s tough for girls to get in the water” in preparation for their season, Neal said.
The city recreation committee picked Lang Park out of several sites because of its accessibility, including proximity to public transit stops, among other reasons, Johnson said in the email.
Westberg + White, Inc., an architectural firm hired by the city, affirmed that the site could accommodate a pool, Johnson said during the joint meeting.
According to early calculations, a second pool would be 33 meters long by 25 yards wide and offer 12 swimming lanes. An adjacent, shallower pool would be 21 feet wide by 25 yards long to accommodate swim lessons and recreational swimming. Johnson put the preliminary cost at $15 million.
Laguna’s current pool is 25 meters long by 25 yards wide, allowing for 10 swimming lanes.
She added that this exploration is “very preliminary” and that the city would not want to encroach on the existing community center, playground or tennis or basketball courts at Lang Park, 21540 Wesley Drive.
Before proceeding with a plan, it would need to be explained through “extensive” public outreach and vetted by the Planning Commission and City Council, Johnson said in her email.
Mayor Toni Iseman said she “felt a need” for a second pool and touted swimming as a “healthy” sport that one can do throughout life.
But, she warned, community pools should be available to all.
“I would not feel comfortable spending $15 million if this were seen as an extension of the school and there were limitations on it,” Iseman said. “I would be very happy to share it, but I think we have to make sure that the sharing lets the public there.”
Twitter: @AldertonBryce
