Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Recreation Center topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge San Dimas to keep recreation center and pool open as council schedules study session
Summary
Dozens of residents and program partners told the San Dimas City Council the Recreation Center and pool are essential for health and community life, while staff said the facility runs an estimated $600,000 annual deficit and a study session will be scheduled; no decision was made.
Dozens of residents urged the San Dimas City Council March 25 to keep the city’s Recreation Center and pool open and to seek alternatives to closure.
Aaron Renans, a frequent user, told the council, “I am still here to ask you not to close it and to think about creatively about how to fund it,” describing the center as more than a pool: “It is definitely more than a swimming pool. It is a community center.” Several speakers who travel from neighboring cities said the center offers affordable swim lanes, fitness classes, after-school programs and essential social contact for seniors.
Other speakers suggested concrete options for preserving services: raising membership or drop-in fees, soliciting sponsorships from local businesses, asking nearby cities for financial support, and pursuing moderate renovations that would extend useful life. Deborah Gould of Glendora said the facility draws a regional user base and recommended outreach to surrounding communities and sponsorship partnerships; instructor Karina Friedman and multiple seniors described long-term health benefits and social ties built in water-resistance classes.
At the same meeting resident Patrick Jones emphasized fiscal constraints, saying the city is facing “a $600,000 a year” shortfall related to the facility and urging the council to find cost offsets and explore collaboration with local school districts, which are heavy users of the pool.
City Manager McKinney responded that staff have evaluated operations and infrastructure and confirmed an estimated deficit, but that no decision has been made. “We are going to be setting a study session in the future to discuss this further,” McKinney said, adding that future sessions will be public and allow additional community input.
The council took no formal vote to close or alter services that night; McKinney said staff are continuing outreach, including discussions with school districts, and will place a study session on a future agenda.
What happens next: Council direction at the meeting was limited to scheduling a public study session so staff and the council can examine operational options, partnerships and funding scenarios before any formal action.
