Committee approves Kaiser Permanente grant to support city aquatics programs

The Community Enrichment, Libraries, Parks and Arts Committee approved acceptance of a multi-year grant from Kaiser Permanente to support the city’s aquatics programming.

Committee members and staff said the grant, which follows previous Kaiser funding in 2022 and 2023, will fund swim lessons, community participation and programming at the city’s recreational pools. Staff said Kaiser invited the city to apply for another two-year grant, the application was submitted and the award was granted.

Committee members asked how the money would be distributed across neighborhoods. Staff answered that the grant supports programs at pools across the city and that the city operates roughly 50 pools, about half of which are open only in summer and the other half year-round; the program, staff said, covers all pools during the summer season. The presenter also gave an attendance estimate in Spanish during the meeting, saying the program can serve “sesenta y cuatro, seis mil cuatrocientas” youth; the precise figure was unclear in the transcript and was not specified by staff during the discussion.

Councilmember Iva Ramírez read the grant item into the record. After questions, the committee voted to approve the item; two members recorded as saying “yes” in the roll call were Fernández and De Zerian. The full roll call or tally was not recorded in the transcript excerpt.

The grant is intended to support swim instruction and recreational pool access for residents, with staff noting the program’s role in promoting physical activity and addressing disparities in access to aquatic programs.

The committee’s approval sends the grant acceptance forward for implementation by the Department of Recreation and Parks and any designated program partners.