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Oct. 20 Community Meeting: High School Pool Closures
Learn more why the pools were closed and a timeline for possible reopening.
The school district will host a community meeting this afternoon to discuss the abrupt closure of the Encinal and Alameda high school pools last Friday.
The pools, which were being used by the high school swim and water polo teams, the Islanders swim team and Alameda Aquatic Masters, have not been certified as compliant with state and federal regulations governing drain covers.
The pools' filtration systems also do not meet current health and safety standards.
"There are a number of different issues, and that's what we're going to identify with an appraisal of the work," said Dale Lillard, head of Alameda's Recreation and Park Department. "There's no doubt that there's an extensive amount of work that needs to be done."
The school district owns the property the pools are on, but the city operates them under a joint use agreement.
Because the pools are on school property, they must meet higher safety standards then other swimming facilities. Plans for construction must be approved by the county as well as a state regulator.
Ronald Browder, chief of the Alameda County Environmental Health Department, said the county began making notifications about the need for modifications to the Emma Hood and Encinal pools starting in August 2009.
A new state law, AB 1200, required the installation of new drains in all the state's pools by July 1, 2010 in order to protect children from harm or drowning.
"After July 1, we went to all our facilities, and made them aware that if they hadn't met the requirements of the new law, they should close their facilities," Browder said.
Alameda's high school pools, says Browder, have been out of compliance since July 1, and the county is now waiting for construction plans to bring the pools up to code to be submitted so work can begin.
"We will work diligently with the County to get the pools reopened," read a statement released by school district officials Monday.
Today's meeting is from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at AUSD district offices, 2200 Central Ave., third floor conference room.
Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story.
Jon Spangler
5:37 pm on Wednesday, October 20, 2010
I did not read this until after the meeting was scheduled to end. I wish it had been better publicized...
Eve Pearlman
6:33 pm on Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Hi, Jon. There were lots of elementary-school-aged athletes at the meeting (which was moved to accomodate the numbers) and also high school swimmers and water polo players. Masters swimmers, too. All wondering about the series of events that led this to happen so abruptly and also how they could help to get the pools reopened.