Memorandum
Date: February 13, 2025
To: Mayor & City Council
From: Jōvan D. Grogan, City Manager
Subject: Update on International Swim Center Upgrades
This memorandum provides the City Council with an update on the efforts to mitigate safety and operational issues at the City’s International Swim Center (ISC) in order to partially reopen the facility. As you know, on January 29, 2025, staff invited the City Council and Aquatics User Groups to meet with Adams Pool Solutions (contractor) at the ISC to observe and discuss unanticipated (extensive) damage to the gutter infrastructure. At that meeting, the contractor expressed concerns regarding the age of ISC and its infrastructure, including pool deck, plumbing, and boiler systems.
As you know, the staff has been committed to exploring all opportunities to reconstruct or substantially renovate the ISC. This work has continued even as we launched the replastering project. Draining of training and racing pools and the contractor's work to remove the existing surface have revealed an option to expand the current project to accomplish a larger renovation of the facility. As a result, we are at a critical juncture in the replastering project, and staff is evaluating two options. Prior to updating the Swim user groups on this option on February 26, staff would like to brief the Mayor and Councilmembers. To this end, staff would like to set up 1-hour briefings ASAP. Please contact Carolyn McDowell to schedule a meeting – 408-615- 4892 or [email protected].
Below is a brief summary of the two options that will be discussed in the briefings.
Option A – Continue with the replastering of the training and racing pools, including the added remedy work to the gutter and apron. In this scenario, barring the discovery of further critical damage, the facility would reopen in late Spring 2025 with a maximum capacity of 200 people to train or swim recreationally. This scenario has $1.86M in budget and does not provide any remediation to the diving well and tower, infrastructure, pool deck, plumbing, boiler systems, administration building or locker rooms. This scenario is a short-term fix (3-5 years), which will need to be worked around, where possible when a long-term solution is funded and implemented.
Option B – Expand the scope of work to replace the pool decking, recirculation, plumbing, boilers, and perimeter gutter systems for all pools, including the dive well and tower. This option will reconfigure the racing pool depth, lighting, temperature and equipment to adhere to County of Santa Clara requirements, create operational Update on International Swim Center Upgrades
February 13, 2025
efficiencies and redundancies as well as meet the requirements for World Aquatics Competition Regulations for international competitions. This $4-5 M investment would extend the life of the facility to 25-30 years and take 10-12 months to complete (plans/permits (2-4 months), construction (8-10 months). Additionally, there are no occupancy restrictions with this option. Demolition, design and construction of new administration, locker room, and equipment storage building(s) can run concurrently, at an additional expense. Subject to further actions, this work can be funded with proceeds from the voter-approved infrastructure bond.
Please contact Carolyn McDowell to schedule a meeting – 408-615-4892 or [email protected].
Cc: Damon Sparacino, Parks and Recreation Director
Carolyn McDowell, ISC Project Coordinator