Orange opens Hart Park pool year-round under private operator

Orange's historic Hart Park pool is now open year-round after the city contracted with Premier Aquatic Services to operate the facility, cutting annual operating costs roughly in half while restoring aquatic programs that budget pressures had gutted.

The deal reduces the city's pool costs from about $400,000 for an eight-week summer program to roughly $200,000 annually — offering swim lessons at $15 per session as Orange confronts a projected $20 million budget deficit.

The Orange City Council voted 5-2 on March 10 to approve a one-year contract with Premier Aquatic Services, which also operates municipal pools in Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel. Under the agreement, the contractor handles daily operations and staffing while the city retains responsibility for utilities, janitorial services and major repairs, according to Voice of OC.

The previous city-operated program ran eight weeks at a cost of about $420,000 and employed 45 seasonal staff. Budget constraints in 2025 cut that number to 15 part-time employees. The new contract pays Premier a management fee of $186,000 — covering lifeguard costs and 12 months of programming — with a revenue-sharing arrangement that returns 15 to 22.5 percent of revenue to the city once thresholds are met.

Swim lessons are priced at $15 per session for groups of three to six students, compared with $35 at Premier's private facilities. Recreational swim fees are $5 for adults, $3 for children and $2 for seniors, adjusted from a previous flat rate of $3.

Supporters pointed to the savings and public health benefits. "When we were operating the pool for eight weeks, it was just shy of half a million dollars. It was $420,000, and now through this partnership, it's roughly $227,000. That's not lost on me that there's a savings," Councilmember Jon Dumitru said at the March 10 meeting. Orange resident and water safety advocate Julie Lopiccolo also backed the move. "I want to express how important it is for the city to provide residents with the opportunity to learn the life-saving skill of swimming. Thank you for searching for a solution for our community," she said, according to Voice of OC.

Not all council members were persuaded. Councilmembers Arianna Barrios and John Gyllenhammer voted against the contract. "Not because I don't want the program, but I fear we are letting our passions for what we want in the community override what we don't have in the bank," Barrios said. Jonathan St. Clair, a board member of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, raised separate concerns about the financial structure, warning that "the contract favors the contractor, not the city," Voice of OC reported.

The pool is open now for recreational swimming, with additional programs rolling out through summer and a broader schedule expected to begin in mid-June. The city still needs to secure an additional $60,000 to fund pool operations through the end of the current fiscal year, according to Voice of OC.