Piedmont’s pool closure one of many in County
Update: read the September 2, 2010 Wall Street Journal article on Alameda County pool closures.
Piedmont’s pool was one of many pools shut down, based on a legislative change regarding drain covers. Alameda County has been closing “10 pools per week since July 1” because of the new regulations.
Other counties in the Bay Area have not been as aggressive in their enforcement of the new California law and have provided extended deadlines for compliance rather than force pools to close in the middle of summer.
Some individuals interested in a significant redevelopment of the Piedmont pool and surrounding area next to the High School and Middle School, took the pool closure as an opportunity to call for the City to discontinue its arrangement with the Swim Club. Redevelopers have long wanted the City to rebuild the pool and be responsible for its expenses and operation. (Operating existing pool facilities with City personnel would cost the City from $127,000 to $327,000 annually (not including replacement costs) according to a consulting firm hired by the City. Currently, the City pays no costs of operation because the pool is run on a volunteer basis by the Swim Club. Source: October 3, 2006 City Minutes, Consultant’s Report, and Staff Report)
Today, the pool is fully operational, with the cost of making the legislated changes paid for by the Swim Club, not Piedmont taxpayers. For more information go to the Channel 2 news story on pool closures.
What Happened?
The following is an analysis prepared by PSC board members Jon Sakol and Bill Drum in consultation with manager Joe Perez and board president Tim Rood documenting the events related to drains regulation enforcements.
