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Vista council reviews proposed recreation fees for open gym, lap swim and cabana rentals; public hearing continued
Summary
Staff proposed reinstating open gym at Jim Porter Rec for $5/day, a lap-swim program with $5 drop-in and 12-day passes, and adding a $40 "Cove" cabana; council discussed discounts, passes, and supervision and continued the public hearing for formal adoption and more study.
The Vista City Council heard a staff presentation on proposed changes to recreation and Wave water-park fees and asked staff to return with refined pricing and operational details.
Management analyst Sydney Roth, presenting for Recreation & Community Services, recommended reopening open gym at the Jim Porter Recreation Center Monday–Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at a $5 daily drop-in rate starting March 1, with staff to consider youth pricing or discounted passes. On lap swimming, staff proposed 6–8 a.m. Monday/Wednesday/Friday; a $5 drop-in visit and a 12-day pass priced at $45 for residents and $55 for nonresidents (12 days intended to cover three times/week for four weeks). Roth said operations would start when staffing is available and that swim lessons in April would help align lifeguarding resources.
The council asked for options to reduce costs for children and seniors, suggested family pricing and punch cards (including unlimited monthly passes), and pressed staff to return with anticipated attendance and revenue estimates and any pass/recurring-payment mechanisms. Several councilmembers asked staff to confirm lifeguard staffing requirements (minimum two guards on deck) and to quantify labor costs tied to proposed hours.
Staff also proposed a new mid-tier cove cabana ($40/day) in addition to existing small and large cabana rentals ($75 and $95); staff said a one-time purchase of four cove cabanas (~$4,200) could yield roughly $12,000 in additional revenue at expected utilization.
What happened: Council discussed multiple pricing models and subsidy options (including scholarship eligibility for youth and potentially seniors), but did not adopt fees tonight. The public hearing on recreation fees was continued to a date to be set by the city manager so staff can refine pricing options and return with an updated proposal and financial details.
Next steps: Staff will return with more detailed attendance and revenue projections, pass structures (including a possible 30‑day pass and lower-cost options), and suggested language on youth/senior discounts and scholarship eligibility.
