Swim clubs press council to rebuild International Swim Center; city plans partial reopening, new facility design work underway

Dozens of swimmers, parents and representatives of local aquatics clubs told the Santa Clara City Council on Tuesday that the shuttered International Swim Center is a community hub and asked the city to speed rebuilding after voters approved Measure I.

The plea came during public comment, where youth athletes and club leaders described daily training losses and longer drives for practice since the center closed. Vikas Gupta, president of the nonprofit Santa Clara Aquatics Foundation, said the foundation and three legacy clubs — Santa Clara Swim Club, Santa Clara Dive Club and Santa Clara Artistic Swimming Club — want the city to “act with urgency” to rebuild the facility and to prioritize a design that supports year‑round programming.

Rick Rutter, vice president of the Aquatics Foundation and president of the dive club, told the council the community includes more than 2,000 members and that the city’s investment would support thousands of swim lessons, masters programs and competitive events. Rutter said prior proposals that put the replacement price at $70 million to $180 million overstate current needs and argued that the Measure I allocation should be sufficient. “We believe the job can be completed with the funds approved by the voters as part of Measure I,” he said.

City Manager Jevon Grogan and staff described a two‑track approach: immediate repairs to reopen parts of the facility and parallel work to design and build a new center. Grogan said the city’s voter‑approved bond totals $400 million, with $45 million designated for a new swim facility. Grogan said the council previously directed $2 million for actions to restore use of the existing pools, contractors are on site, pools have been drained and replastering and other repairs are underway, and staff hopes to reopen the International Swim Center in April. He cautioned that the entire facility will not reopen: the dive tower has “significant structural concerns” and will remain closed pending replacement in a future new facility.

Swimmers described the local impact. “The ISC was a place where people of all ages and abilities would come together,” said Tanay Gupta, a high‑school senior and longtime Santa Clara Swim Club athlete, who urged the council to “help us keep it alive.” Jaden, a club swimmer who worked on the Measure I campaign, said the city’s investment will support programs that develop students and athletes and could allow Santa Clara to host regional or national meets.

City staff said they will continue regular meetings with the clubs — the next meeting was scheduled for Jan. 31 — to solicit input on design, program needs and cost estimates. Grogan and staff cautioned there will be soft costs beyond construction (design, permitting and project management), and that philanthropic or other funding sources may be needed if final designs exceed the $45 million allocation.

The council did not take a formal vote on the ISC at the meeting but heard persistent appeals for urgency. Speakers included athletes, parents and nonprofit leaders who described lost training time, increased travel costs and the facility’s role in teaching swim safety.

If the city proceeds with a rebuilt facility within the Measure I allocation, staff said they will seek to maximize year‑round programming and competitive use to support both community lessons and event revenue that can offset operating costs.