Parks, Recreation, and Community Services
www.santa-ana.org/parks
Item # 10
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
April 7, 2026
TOPIC: Approve the Facility Use Agreement with Orange County Gold (“OC Gold”) for Aquatics Programming at City Aquatic Facilities
AGENDA TITLE
Facility Use Agreement with Orange County Gold for Competitive Youth Swim Team Programming at Designated City Aquatics Facilities
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the City Manager to execute a facility use agreement with Orange County Gold (“OC Gold”) for aquatics programming at designated City aquatic facilities, for a term beginning May 1, 2026, and expiring April 30, 2027, with provisions for two (2), one-year extensions (Agreement A-2026-XXX).
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: Yes
DISCUSSION
The City of Santa Ana Parks, Recreation and Community Services Agency (PRCSA) operates public aquatic facilities that provide recreational and instructional swimming opportunities for the community. In addition to City-operated programs, PRCSA periodically partners with qualified aquatics organizations to expand programming opportunities for youth and enhance utilization of City aquatic facilities.
OC Gold is a nonprofit aquatics organization serving youth throughout Orange County.
Founded in 1989 and previously known as Orange Regional Competitive Aquatics (ORCA), the organization provides year-round aquatic programming including competitive swim team training, swim technique development, and private competitive swimming instruction.
OC Gold has extensive experience operating competitive youth swim programs throughout Orange County and is affiliated with USA Swimming, providing structured training opportunities for swimmers of varying skill levels. Partnering with an established aquatics organization allows the City to expand competitive swimming opportunities for youth without the additional staffing, administrative oversight, and operational resources that would be required to develop and manage a City-operated competitive swim team.
This approach enables PRCSA to continue focusing on providing broad community
Facility Use Agreement with Orange County Gold (“OC Gold”) April 7, 2026
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aquatics programming, including swim lessons, recreational swim, and water safety education, while leveraging the expertise of a specialized organization to deliver competitive training opportunities.
The proposed agreement would allow OC Gold to conduct structured year-round swim team practices and private instructional opportunities at designated City aquatic facilities during scheduled times approved by PRCSA staff. Programming would focus on youth participants and emphasize swimming skill development, water safety, physical conditioning, and sportsmanship. This pilot program will commence in May 2026 at Jerome Pool until the team is able to transition to the new Memorial Park Aquatics Center, once construction is complete. This partnership supports activation of the newly constructed Memorial Park Aquatics Center by introducing structured programming that increases facility utilization and expands recreational opportunities for youth in the community.
OC Gold will be responsible for staffing bilingual coaches, participant registration, and program administration. All coaches will be required to meet applicable safety, certification, and insurance requirements established by the City. Additionally, the agreement prohibits OC Gold from conducting unauthorized commercial activities at City facilities. OC Gold will charge monthly dues of $85/participant, in comparison to their $110-$150/month dues in Tustin, Villa Park, and Orange, in order to provide financially accessible programming to the Santa Ana community.
The monthly $500 fee assessed by the City will permit OC Gold to use three (3) swimming lanes at either Jerome Pool or Memorial Park Aquatics Center, once available, for approximately 28 hours per month. Additional lanes may be requested at a rate of $17.57 per lane per hour. The proposed rate for non-exclusive use is consistent with industry standards and ensures the City has the flexibility to schedule additional users concurrently under the same framework.
Approval of this agreement will expand youth aquatics opportunities, particularly at the newly constructed Memorial Park Aquatics Center, while supporting the City’s ongoing efforts to promote water safety, youth recreation, and community wellness. As this agreement is structured as a proof of concept, the agreement term is limited to a maximum of three (3) years, allowing the City to evaluate demand, participation levels, and overall program viability.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with this action.
FISCAL IMPACT
The agreement will generate revenue to the City through established facility use fees, at a base rate of $6,000/year. Additional revenue may be generated based on participation levels and additional facility use times and dates beyond those initially established.
Facility Use Agreement with Orange County Gold (“OC Gold”) April 7, 2026
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The fees charged for permitting facility use will be deposited into the General Fund to help offset related City costs.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Agreement Executive Summary
2. Facility Use Agreement with Orange County Gold (A-2026-XXX) Submitted By: Hawk V. Scott, Executive Director of Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Agency
Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager