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Residents urge Monrovia to restore high school pool, push for plan for new aquatic center as city seeks park grants
Summary
Multiple residents urged the council to prioritize restoring Monrovia High School’s pool and to plan a jointly used aquatic center. City staff said Rec Park design work and an upcoming nearly $8 million grant application are underway and that funding options such as Measure K and county Measure A are being considered.
Several Monrovia residents used the March 4 public-comment period to press the City Council to make aquatics programming and pool access a city priority, citing lost lessons, competitive sports and local safety as reasons to restore the Monrovia High School pool and plan a new aquatic center.
"We have a gaping deficiency in aquatics programming," said a resident identified in the record as Karen, recounting the end of a city–school district partnership in 2021 and listing missed services including affordable swimming lessons, lap swim, adaptive water skills and lifeguard certification. Karen urged the council to work with the Monrovia Unified School District on design and to consider Measure K funding for a future facility.
Mallory Socha, who described learning to swim at Monrovia facilities beginning in 1987 and competing on the Monrovia High School swim and water polo teams, said she was "heartbroken" that the high school pool is out of commission and urged a joint effort to restore it so residents can access lessons and teams again.
Parent and resident Matt Peplow told the council that local options for lessons are scarce and costly, citing private programs charging about $72 for a 20-minute lesson and saying many families must travel outside the city for instruction. "The demand for swimming in this city is really, really high," he said.
City Manager Dylan Feek told the council staff are pursuing funding for parks and recreation projects and highlighted two items relevant to aquatics planning. First, staff are preparing final design work and a grant application for Recreation Park improvements; Feek said the project is "just below $8,000,000" and that the city will align design with potential funding opportunities. He said the development review committee will consider a categorical exemption for Rec Park to expedite the work.
Feek also noted the city has access to county Measure A funds and is assessing whether those, combined with other competitive grants and potential Measure K funding, might be appropriate to support park projects or a community center. He said any aquatic center built on Monrovia Unified School District property would have to be coordinated with the district and that council input would be needed on possible city staffing, access points, family changing rooms and parking.
No formal action, motion or spending decision on an aquatic center was taken at the March 4 meeting. Council members and staff framed the matter as an item for further planning, grants work and later council direction.
Speakers who requested follow up included city staff Jocelyn Blakely in neighborhood services, who arranged follow-up appointments with commenters who reported building habitability issues, and several residents who volunteered to participate in planning and community outreach.
The council did not vote on funding or a site at the March 4 meeting; the record shows strong public interest and a staff plan to pursue design and grants that could identify funding options for future council decisions.
