During its March 14 meeting, the Laguna Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) Board of Education awarded contracts for design services for the modernization of the Laguna Beach High School pool and classroom upgrades at El Morro and Top of the World Elementary School, projects identified in the district’s Ten-Year Facilities Master Plan (FMP).
Due to the need for significant repairs, the LBHS Community Pool has been a designated capital improvement project since 2015 and is one of the last projects awaiting completion. The Laguna Beach City Council's unanimous decision to pursue an independent path for a community pool ends a longstanding partnership that has provided aquatic recreational opportunities to the community for more than 30 years. Given the City Council’s recent decision, the design will no longer incorporate shared-use considerations.
Since early 2023, discussions between the district and the city have been crucial in shaping the future of the community pool. In joint subcommittee meetings held between 2023 and early 2024, the two parties explored design possibilities, operational needs, and financial planning. For LBUSD, operational needs included additional deep-water lanes for aquatic programs. For the city, staff identified an increase in shallow water lanes as a non-negotiable requirement.
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