The Cupertino Courier

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Management of pool could change direction

By Stephen Baxter

Megan Fischer-Colbrie swam in Fremont High School's sparkling blue pool on the day it opened in June 2002. Since then, the Monta Vista High School sophomore has spent hundreds of hours swimming laps there for the Sunnyvale Swim Club, chasing her dream of making the Olympic trials.

The private contract to run the city's only 50-meter pool will end in August and her club's leaders worry schedule changes could curb the 25 to 30 hours of pool time Fischer-Colbrie and her teammates log each week.

It's not clear if any schedule changes will be made, but Sunnyvale's Parks and Recreation Department is reviewing three bids to manage the $3.2 million pool. The department also may ask to run the pool itself and it is expected to make a recommendation to the city council in March.

The city has received bids from Santa Clara Swim Club, Northwest YMCA in Cupertino and the current contractor, California Sports Center.

John Lawrence, Sunnyvale recreation supervisor, said the department would need more money and staff to manage the pool, but it could be done at the council's request.

Eelco Bergman, president of the Sunnyvale Swim Club's board of directors, approached the city this fall about handing management to the city, in part because the club might be able to negotiate better hours and fees.

"I'm OK with an independent contractor, but I can't have my rates double and be competitive with other swim clubs," Bergman said.

Each year, the city loses from $30,000 to $40,000 on the pool, say city officials, and part of the equation is the fees paid to the contractor.

It is not clear whether a city-run pool would be more cost efficient, although the city manages three smaller pools for part of the year.

"Although it's good for the city to balance its books, the facility is there for the community--this is not just a commercial enterprise," Bergman said.

The club is the pool's largest user after Fremont High School, and there are also private classes and individual lap swimmers.

Councilman Chris Moylan, who was a lifeguard during his youth in New York, donated $10,000 to the pool project. He said he fumed when he rode his bike to the pool on a summer Sunday and was turned away because of a private event. Moylan is in favor of more summer hours for the public.

In its new five-year proposal, California Sports Center includes family swims on Sunday evenings and has added summer swim camps.

"We try to make it fair for everybody," said Ricky Silva, the aquatics co-manager at the sports center. "It takes time to work out some of the scheduling issues, but it's a new facility--we tried to establish a balance."

City residents who want to swim laps will see rates rise 25 cents in February to $6 per drop-in session, and a monthly pass will rise to $60. Fees are higher for non-residents.

Still, many of Fremont High's students appreciate swimming in the new 50-meter pool. Club racer Fischer-Colbrie called it essential to her long-distance training.

"It's an amazingly nice pool," she said. "Individually, it would be almost impossible for me to get to Olympic trials without it."