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Monrovia board hears community push to rebuild Monrovia High aquatics complex; approves feasibility studies
Summary
About 10 public commenters urged full renovation of the aging Monrovia High School pool after the district closed it for health-code reasons. The board accepted architectural proposals for feasibility studies and heard a Measure/bond update; staff and trustees discussed funding complexity and asked for more granular expenditure breakdowns.
About 10 members of the public urged the Monrovia Unified School District Board of Education on April 16 to pursue a full renovation of Monrovia High School’s aging aquatics complex after the district closed the pool for health-code concerns, and the board authorized feasibility studies to evaluate possible repairs or replacement.
The chorus of callers and parents told trustees the pool’s condition has affected teams and student access this school year. Board president Rob Hammond responded that prior decisions were business-based and that the district maintains a collaborative relationship with the City of Monrovia. The board later approved architectural proposals to begin feasibility and design studies for major facility improvements, including the high school aquatics complex.
Why it matters: the pool closure has forced swim teams and programs to relocate practices — initially to San Marino High School and later to Duarte High School — and parents and athletes said the closure has disrupted seasons and student opportunities. Staff signaled that any full renovation would involve multi-year construction and substantial cost increases compared with earlier estimates.
During public comment, speakers described the pool as deteriorated and recalled a Department of Public Health inspection that prompted the shutdown. The recap of meeting remarks said repairs had become infeasible and that the district opted to close the facility for the school year. The recap also said the estimated cost for renovation work has “already gone up to a little over $3,000,000,” a figure raised during the meeting as an early planning estimate.
At the same meeting the district’s assistant superintendent of business services presented an update on Measure-funded projects, showing before-and-after photographs for completed sites, explaining how bond revenues are allocated, and describing supply-chain impacts on scheduling and material delivery. Trustees pressed staff for a more granular breakdown of upcoming expenditures, particularly for projects at schools the district identified as historically under-resourced, and asked for improved public communications so families can track progress through the district website and newsletters.
Board actions taken that relate to facilities included approval of: acceptance of architectural proposals to begin feasibility studies for major facility improvements (including the Monrovia High aquatics complex), a request for roofing bid authorization for repairs at several campuses, a districtwide code compliance analysis, and a fire-damage restoration design plan for an elementary school building listed on the agenda as “Grama Oaks Elementary.” The motions and approvals were recorded on the agenda; the meeting recap did not include mover/second names or vote tallies for those items.
Board members and staff repeatedly cautioned that even with approval to proceed, construction timelines and market conditions mean projects will take years to complete. Trustees and speakers said they are pursuing funding from multiple sources; staff described a possible state bond opportunity the district could apply for and noted numerous eligibility and matching requirements. Staff reported the district may be eligible to apply for as much as $21,000,000 under the bond formula described at the meeting but emphasized “caveats” and administrative requirements; trustees asked staff to return with clearer numbers and spending timelines.
Other context from the meeting: the board discussed improving outreach about Measure project timelines and using ParentSquare and the board portal to keep families informed. Trustees also noted coordination with the city and community groups; several public commenters said they were also raising the pool issue before the city council.
What’s next: the district will move forward with feasibility and design work under the approved architectural agreements and return to the board with more detailed cost breakdowns, timelines and funding scenarios as those studies advance. The board directed staff to provide clearer expenditure details for upcoming projects and to propose improved community communication steps.
