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Residents and students urge district to restore Monrovia pool as board cites aging infrastructure and limited funds
Summary
Public comment at the February Monrovia Unified School District meeting focused on the closure and future of the Monrovia High School pool. Students, alumni and community members urged investment and suggested revenue strategies; district presenters said the pool is aging, the city ended a prior contract, and funding is not currently available.
Scores of students, alumni and other residents urged the Monrovia Unified School District to repair and reopen the Monrovia High School pool, saying the facility supports athletics and community programs.
Multiple speakers at public comment described generational ties to the pool and expressed frustration that maintenance and health-department concerns led to its closure. One student speaker and several athletes said the closure has forced them to travel or leave the district for aquatics programs. Commentators proposed revenue-generation ideas such as rentals, summer programming and corporate sponsorships.
Presenters and meeting hosts told listeners the pool is more than 30 years old and was originally funded and operated as a joint community and district facility; they said the city of Monrovia ended a contract years ago, leaving the district to shoulder operating and capital costs. Speakers described a health-department checklist that identified items that needed repair, and one meeting participant said the board acted to close the pool before the health department's enforcement action.
Community members suggested specific revenue figures and models during public comment; one speaker referenced facility rentals of up to $15,000 per month as an example and another speaker referenced a $75,000,000 bond in a broader discussion of capital needs. The board and staff responded by acknowledging the program's value while reiterating that current district finances limit immediate investment.
The public comments included student voices from Monrovia High School and younger grades, parents, alumni and athletic program participants. Board members and administrators thanked speakers for attending and for their advocacy; no formal funding decision for the pool was made at the meeting, though the issue was discussed during presentations about Measure M priorities and facility needs.
