Preparing to keep residents and families cool this summer, the City of San Diego recently announced upgrades are underway at several municipal pools to ensure they open before the busy summer season.
The City’s 13-pool network – with some facilities in use for more than four decades – has shown signs of aging in recent years. The City recently closed five pools temporarily for repairs and upgrades, with all but one on track to reopen by early June.
“We know how important it is to have a place where families can go to cool off during the hot summer months,” said Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer. “We’re taking proactive steps right now to repair and maintain some our oldest pools to make sure they are available when San Diegans rely on them the most. While that work is going on, we’re also installing temporary pools and offering shuttle rides so that everyone has access to our public pools.”
The ongoing renovations are pegged at more than $2 million. They include: • Bud Kearns Memorial Pool – Installation of a new pump and motor that circulates and filters the water as well as a backwash valve replacement and retrofit for the filtration system. Expected completion date: Mid-May. • City Heights Swim Center – Comprehensive pool replacement. Expected completion date: 2020. • Clairemont Pool – Installation of new pool motor to operate the pump circulation system. Reopened last week. • Colina Del Sol Pool – Installation of new pump and motor to circulate and filter pool water. Expected completion date: Early June. • Martin Luther King, Jr. Pool – Backwash valve replacement. Reopened last week.
The City Heights pool is the only one that won’t reopen this summer as it is undergoing a total replacement with completion expected in 2020.
To minimize the impact on residents, the City implemented measures to increase access to pools, including the installation of a portable pool at the City Heights Swim Center beginning Monday, June 17 through Friday, Aug. 23. The portable pool will offer free swim lessons, guided play and recreational swim opportunities. The City also is in the process of scheduling a free shuttle service from the City Heights Swim Center to two nearby pools – Bud Kearns Memorial and Memorial – for residents and families who wish to use those facilities. 
“We have a number of pools in the municipal system that have been in operation for 40 years or longer and repairs at these older facilities can take more time and come at a considerable cost,” said Herman Parker, Director of the City’s Parks and Recreation Department. “In addition to these repairs, we’re also conducting proactive maintenance by evaluating pump and filtration systems at all of our facilities to make sure they are fully functional.” 
The City offers year-round programs at 13 pool locations. For more information about the City’s municipal pool system, to register for classes and for locations and operating hours, visit sandiego.gov/pools.