Santa Ana Pool Opening: Officials Swim While Locals Wait

City officials in Santa Ana unveiled the Memorial Park Aquatic Center this month, an event that allowed elected leaders to swim in the new pools while some neighborhood residents were turned away. Diana Vargas, who lives in the Memorial Park neighborhood, brought her children to the event after seeing a promotional flier. Her kids were excited to use the slide and jump into the water. Staff told them the initial swim was reserved for VIPs and specific students from Washington Elementary. They said the general public could enter at 1:30 p.m.

Vargas recalled her youngest son telling her it was okay because they could go to other pools in other cities. She said the children are used to being told they can go elsewhere. She expressed disappointment that the flier did not specify the restricted access. She said officials should have clearly stated who was invited on the flyer. This would have prevented her husband and children from making the trip only to be stopped at the gate.

While the children waited, several city leaders entered the water for the ceremony. City Council Candidate Giovanni Chavez posted a video of the event on Instagram. He included Congressman Lou Correa in the post. The video promoted the pool as an example of expanding city services. This promotion came shortly before the November election. Vazquez, a city councilman, said the event looked like a photo opportunity for officials. He noted that some candidates joined in the swimming for media coverage.

The pools were meant to offer year-round programming but are not fully open to the public yet. Artists have raised concerns that the rushed ribbon cutting complicated the restoration of a Chicano mural at the center. The mural, known as the Emigdio Vasquez mural, was not open on the same day as the pool ceremony. Vazquez said this timing threw the city manager’s office off. He added that he last heard the pool would open to the public in May.

City management has struggled to answer basic questions about the facility's status. Mayor Valerie Amezcua and several councilmembers did not respond to requests for comment on Monday. They include Phil Bacerra, Thai Viet Phan, David Penaloza, and Johnathan Hernandez. Jessie Lopez also did not reply. Several of these officials are running for reelection or state assembly seats. City Manager Alvaro Nuñez and City Spokesman Paul Eakins also did not respond to direct inquiries.

Nuñez sent an email to city council members on Monday. He stated that staff is investigating the lack of clear communication about the pools. He said the city is reviewing concerns regarding staff communication and program planning. He noted that the review is part of the city's internal personnel process. He added that the review will determine if corrective measures or disciplinary action are needed. He said the priority remains ensuring the facility serves the community as intended.

Eakins refused to answer questions over the phone on Monday. He insisted that inquiries be sent via email. He mentioned he was heading out to lunch and had a lot of questions to answer. He did not respond to the emailed questions either. This communication style is part of a pattern at city hall. Residents and reporters have noted a lack of transparency regarding public amenities like community gardens and pools.

This pool situation follows earlier confusion about community gardens. Signs appeared at garden sites in July indicating reduced operations. City leaders later described the signs as a mistake. They said the gardens were not closing but that programming would change due to staffing cuts. The city approved $11 million in budget cuts earlier this year. These cuts affected part-time staffing and vacant positions. Despite these cuts, officials allocated over $937,000 for the public information office this fiscal year. Assistant City Manager Kat Downs asked Parks and Recreation staff who authorized the garden signs. Deputy Director Tim Pagano said he authorized them to communicate changes in a traditional way. He acknowledged the wording about reduced operations was not intended to mean the gardens were closing.