CAMARILLO : Swimmers Fear Pool May Be Closed

Worried that state funding cuts could lead the Camarillo park district to close the city’s only open public pool, a group of swimmers and parents of swim-team members have asked the district to keep the pool open.

Nearly a dozen residents attended the monthly meeting of the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District board Wednesday to urge board members not to close the indoor Pleasant Valley Pool on Temple Avenue.

The district has already closed the outdoor Freedom Pool at Camarillo Airport in response to last year’s state budget cuts.

Residents at Wednesday’s meeting said they became worried about Pleasant Valley Pool after seeing signs warning that it could be closed due to state funding cuts this year.

District officials said they posted the signs earlier this year to raise public awareness about threatened cuts.

Under the state budget signed by the governor last week, the district expects to lose an additional $230,000 in annual revenues on top of the $485,000 that was cut from its budget last year. Its budget is now slightly less than $2 million.

Although board President Nancy Bush told protesters Wednesday that the board has no plans to close Pleasant Valley Pool, board members emphasized that the pool is a big drain on park district funds.

Board member Melville Vincent said it costs $90,000 annually to maintain the pool.

General Manager Eldred E. Lokker said he will meet with parents of children on the Pleasant Valley Swim Team on Tuesday to discuss the pool’s future. The meeting, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the park district headquarters, 1605 E. Burnley Ave., will be open to the public.