Santa Ana reviews pool access after residents are turned away

A Santa Ana resident said her children were turned away from the unveiling of the Memorial Park Aquatic Center while elected officials swam and used its slide, according to Voice of OC. The pools remained short of full public access as of Wednesday.

The facility was intended to provide year-round programming, but questions about its opening date, fees and event invitations remained unanswered, Voice of OC reported. City Manager Alvaro Nuñez told councilmembers that an internal personnel review would determine whether corrective measures were needed.

Diana Vargas, a longtime Memorial Park neighborhood resident, told Voice of OC that her children went to the unveiling after seeing a flier. She said her child was told initial admission was restricted to VIPs and certain Washington Elementary students and that they could enter at 1:30 p.m.

Elected officials used the slide and posed for photographs at the event, the publication reported. City council candidate Giovanni Chavez also posted an Instagram video promoting the pool with help from Rep. Lou Correa ahead of the November election.

Artists told Voice of OC that the rushed ribbon cutting complicated work to restore a Chicano mural at the center. The report did not establish an official date for full public access. Councilman Ben Vazquez said his latest information was that the pool would open in May.

City spokesman Paul Eakins asked the reporter to email questions rather than answering them by phone Monday, according to Voice of OC. He did not answer the emailed questions. Nuñez also did not respond to the reporter’s Monday request for comment.

In a Monday email to councilmembers shared with Voice of OC by Vazquez, Nuñez said the city was reviewing staff communication, program planning and delays in activating the center. He said the review could lead to corrective measures, including disciplinary action if warranted.

Voice of OC also reported earlier confusion over reduced community garden services after the city approved $11 million in budget cuts. Internal communications showed that reduced staffing would pause programming, adding another example of uncertainty over access to city recreation services.