Alameda Aquatic Center
City Council
7/1/2025
Staff Recommendation
• Approve the funding plan for the Aquatic Center.
• Approve the final design for the Aquatic Center providing the community with greater access to aquatic programs.
Project Goals
• Provide additional pool access to meet community demand • Manage pool facility within City control
• Offer increased and consistent operations
• Provide year-round programming
• Increase water safety lessons for all Alamedens
• Reduce emissions via electrification
Design Concept -2024
Design Concept -2024
Project Budget and Cost Estimates
• Council approved $30 Million Budget in 2023
• Updated cost estimate for approved design concept was $42 million
• Engaged in value-engineering exercise to reduce costs while maintaining core components of the project
Design and Cost Challenges
• Economic Instability
• Rising Construction Cost 4-6% per year
• Variable Material costs
• Project Site Conditions
• Geotechnical – Soil stabilization/liquefaction to a depth of 35 feet • Ground Water – Water table ranges 3-5 feet below the surface
Value-Engineering - Project Impacts
• Removal of the pavilion
• Reduced parking 20 spaces
• Reduced administrative building
• Rotated activity pool to condense the site
• Reduced building height
• Substituted exterior finishes
• Substituted wind-wall materials
• Replaced walled storage with fenced
Design Development - 2025
Design Development – NW View
Design Development – SW View
Design Development – Entrance Plaza
Design Development - 2025
Project Schedule
• Schematic Design completed December 2024
• Design Development completed May 2025
• Planning Board Approval June 2025
• Council Approval July 2025
• Permit Submittal August 2025
• Bidding October 2025
• Contract Award December 2025
• Construction 2026-2027
• Facility Opening By January 2028
Approach to Transportation and Parking Issues
• Design project specifically around the Park’s central location and connectivity
• Provide sufficient parking that balances community demand for services, operational revenues and needs and spillover parking in adjacent neighborhoods with priority to discourage driving and reduce vehicle miles traveled
• Include amenities and transportation demand management (TDM) programs to encourage alternate modes of travel
• Monitor travel and operational patterns after facility opening • Identify additional flexible parking and TDM strategies that can be implemented over time, as needed
Maximizing Access and Connectivity
• Original Design:
• 93 parking spaces
• 104 Bike parking
• Current Design Approved by Planning Board:
• 67 parking spaces – includes 7 EV spaces
• 126 shared parking spaces in Marina
Village with College of Alameda
• TDM programs
• 110 bicycle spaces including:
• 6 cargo bike spaces
• 2 cargo bike lockers
• 4 quad bike lockers
Caption: 2025 Aquatic Center Plan with 71 parking spaces shown
Transportation Strategies to Encourage
Alternative Modes
• Summary: TDM program provides a framework to allow adjustments over time based on actual usage and operational outcomes • Current TDM program includes:
• Providing bike/public transit discounts
• Planning bike events to encourage mode shift
• Proactively highlighting active and transit options on program material • Monitoring parking usage and modes of travel
• Implementing bicycle and pedestrian improvements
• Offering drop off for carpools/rideshares
• Potential Future TDM program ideas:
• Implementing parking pricing
• Exploring neighborhood parking management programs
• Evaluating alternative shared parking arrangements
Parking Background
• Summary: 32,000 sf Aquatic Center adds 67
parking spaces to the west side of the park, staying
within the zoning code limits for parking
• The Zoning Code allows up to 3 spaces/1,000 sf or 96
spaces
• The 2014 Park Master Plan envisioned 60 spaces on the west side
• The proposed Aquatic Center adds 7 spaces, for a total of 67 spaces on the west side
• East side parking often completely full during peak
weekend and evening hours
• Balancing concerns about meeting community demand
and spillover neighborhood parking
• Planning Board approved 67 spaces consistent with CEQA analysis
Caption: 2014 Jean Sweeney Open Space
Park Master Plan with 60 parking spaces
serving community gardens on the west
side
Parking Background (cont.)
• Summary: Peak Demand estimated to exceed on-
site supply. Parking plan reflects practical access
needs while maintaining flexibility.
• Estimates of demand based on ARPD experience and
review of Berkeley and Emeryville (urban swim facilities):
• High car usage by parents with children, seniors, and individuals with mobility challenges
• Peak demand exceeds 67 onsite spaces during:
• Weekday afternoons/Weekends/Summer weekdays
• Special events and swim meets
• Overflow parking via non-binding agreement:
• 126 spaces limited to weeknights and weekends
• Future owners could rescind access
• Avoid spillover parking into the neighborhood
Peak Demand Aquatic
Center
Demand
Non-Summer
Weekday (2:30-
3:30p)
83 cars
Weekend (11am)
or Summer
Weekday (1pm)
90 cars
Special Events or
Swim Meets
75 cars
Staff Recommendation
• Approve the funding plan for the Aquatic Center.
• Approve the final design for the Aquatic Center providing the community with greater access to aquatic programs.
Thank You