Pacific Park Pool revenues better than expected
The first community pool run by the city since 2000 has proven to be more of a moneymaker than originally expected, officials reported Tuesday.
The Pacific Community Pool generated roughly $88,000 in revenue this summer, about 27% more than estimates predicted, according to a city report to the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission.
But despite the better than expected performance, the extra money still doesn’t cover all the facility’s costs, which are budgeted at $259,600. The city is set to use $1 million earmarked for another parks project to pay for the first three years of costs.
The $5.3-million swim complex, located at Pacific Park on Pacific Avenue and Riverdale Drive, was years in the making and opened its lanes for the first time this June. Initially designed to be an eight-lane pool, it was downsized to six lanes to save money.
More than 20,000 people entered the facility between June 4 and Sept. 26, said Courtney Maglio, community services coordinator. The pool has a maximum capacity of 243 people.
Most of the revenue came from swim lessons and recreational swimming. Ninety-eight percent of all swim lessons were filled, according to the report, in which officials described participation as “outstanding.”
The city charged a maximum of $2 to use the pool.
The city also offered pool use at Hoover High School during the summer. Past partnerships with Crescenta Valley and Glendale high schools were eliminated this year due to budget constraints.
Maglio said word of mouth is spreading about pool rentals. She said people from outside the city have expressed interest in renting the Pacific Park facility for birthday parties and other events.
Parks commissioner Rodney Khan asked if there was enough demand to extend Pacific Park Pool’s season, to which Maglio responded the city could probably open it earlier, and close it later in the year.
“I still think people would sign up through October,” Maglio said, adding that she could envision after-school or weekend programming commencing as early as April.
The pool, now closed for the season, isn’t scheduled to reopen until next summer.
-- Brittany Levine, Times Community News
Photo: Pacific Park Pool generated more money than officials had expected, according to a recent report. Credit: Cheryl Guerrero / Times Community News
Editor’s note: This story has been updated from an earlier version.