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Monrovia High pool remains closed as community pushes for designs, funding
Summary
Community advocates and board members pressed the Monrovia Unified School District to release design plans and a timeline to repair the Monrovia High School pool, which speakers said has been out of service for about 10 months.
Community advocates and board members repeatedly urged the Monrovia Unified School District to move faster on repairs to the Monrovia High School pool, which speakers said has been out of service for about 10 months. At public comment on both the Aug. 13 and Aug. 27 meetings, Karen DeClue and dozens of supporters described the pool as unusable and urged the board to release design documents and a timeline.
The district told attendees the pool designs had been expected in June but had been delayed; presenters at the Aug. 27 meeting said designs should be available on the board agenda for the Sept. 10 meeting. Board members and speakers noted the pool’s community value beyond athletics, citing senior swim needs, summer jobs for lifeguards and potential rental revenue if repaired (speakers estimated rents in the thousands per weekend or month).
Board members and district presenters said Measure and bond funds as well as state modernization grants are potential funding sources. Presenters from the district’s facilities/bond team said roughly $25 million remains available for the next bond draw and that about $10 million of upcoming funds were earmarked to ensure every campus has operational bell, public-address and clock systems this year; they emphasized that bond/Measure funds must be used for infrastructure and not for personnel or purely cosmetic items such as landscaping or repainting.
The board ratified a facility-use agreement with the YMCA to provide pool access for swim and water-polo teams while the high school pool remains offline. Speakers said teams are currently practicing at Duarte, Citrus College and YMCA facilities at late hours, and that the district is paying significant fees to rent outside pools. Community members asked the district to coordinate with the city to maximize state funding and Measure bond draws to repair and reopen the pool as soon as possible.
Board direction: board members requested that pool designs be placed on the Sept. 10 agenda to allow public review and additional comment; no final construction contract or funding appropriation for the pool was approved at the August meetings.
