TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Mark Leyman, Parks and Recreation Director
Melissa McCollum, Senior Recreation Manager
Jesus Sandoval, Senior Recreation Supervisor
Linda Robb, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of Aquatics Center Survey Summary Report and Authorization for a Request for Proposals for Begg Pool Architectural and Consultant Services, including Schematic Design and Cost Estimates (Parks and Recreation Director Leyman).
(Estimated Time: 1 Hr.)
A) ACCEPT SURVEY
B) DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Accept the Aquatics Center Survey Summary Report;
2. Direct staff to develop a request for proposals for architectural design and consultant services related to the renovation and improvements of Begg Pool and the surrounding site including schematic design and cost estimates.
Body
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action at this time. Once the City Council directs staff on this matter future funding appropriations may be required.
BACKGROUND:
Aquatics Survey
The idea of conducting a statistically valid Aquatics Center Survey was first introduced during the Joint City Council and Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting on January 11, 2022. The City contracted with True North Research to conduct a survey about Manhattan Beach residents’ experiences, opinions, and priorities related to aquatics, Begg Pool, and a potential new Aquatics Center. True North has an extensive background in conducting municipal surveys and studies, including the City’s Community Opinion Survey in 2021.
Between October 8 and October 16, 2022, True North conducted a statistically valid survey of 574 adult residents of Manhattan Beach. In addition to their own interests and activities, respondents were asked to describe the experiences and interests of others in their household, including children.
Parks and Recreation Commission Aquatics Subcommittee
At the Joint City Council and Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on January 9, 2023, the Parks and Recreation Commission Aquatics Facility Exploratory Ad Hoc Committee presented their findings from two years of extensive community outreach. The City Council gave direction on the aquatic design concept, location, and need to develop cost estimates to help determine feasibility of future improvements. Exploration of creating a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization was also discussed as a possible mechanism to fundraise for the project.
Begg Pool
Originally built in the 1940s, Begg Pool has served the community for approximately 80 years. Twenty-five yards long, six lanes wide, and approximately four-feet deep, the pool hosts a variety of recreation programs and classes, including swim lessons, lap swim, swim team, water aerobics, water therapy, senior and summer camp programs, Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and water safety classes, recreational water play, and swim classes required by the Manhattan Beach Middle School. Although it has been renovated multiple times, the pool has reached an age where significant pool, mechanical, plumbing, locker room, and additional upgrades are needed.
DISCUSSION:
Aquatics Center Survey
The survey data was collected by phone and online. Residents were recruited to participate in the survey through email, text, and phone. The sample size of 574 exceeds the typical sample size of 400 surveys collected for a City of this population.
The survey was designed to have a margin of error of + 4.1% at a 95% confidence interval. The average interview lasted 15 minutes.
Key conclusions, described in detail in the attached report include:
• Use of a swimming pool for swimming, water programs, or water sports is fairly common among Manhattan Beach households. 58% of residents and over 50% of families with youth use a swimming pool in some capacity throughout the year.
• When compared to their respective counterparts, interest in a new Aquatics Center was greatest among households with children or teenagers, those who use a public pool, households that use a pool (public or private) on a weekly basis, and those who had visited Begg Pool in the past two years.
• 41% of residents identified using Begg pool; strengths were its excellent staff, parking, and water clarity. Issues with Begg were the limited availability of programming, limited availability of lanes, pool size and depth, and overall aged facility conditions including locker room and bathrooms.
• The survey found that length of residency was inversely related to frequency of using a pool on a weekly basis, while using a pool weekly was more common among households with a child (especially those under 13).
• 57% of respondents indicated they were either very interested or somewhat interested in a new aquatics center, including 74% of those with youth, and 64% would use a pool if one was more easily available. Approximately one-quarter of respondents expressed no interest in a new aquatics center, whereas the remainder were either unsure or unwilling to answer the question.
• 81% of households favored prioritizing a new 35-meter pool for swimming laps, swim competitions and water sports. 73% favored a shallow teaching/therapy pool for swim lessons, water aerobics, water therapy, and children’s programming and a wet classroom for teaching CPR, water safety, junior lifeguards, and swim lessons.
• Assuming a new Aquatics Center is built in Manhattan Beach, the majority of respondents indicated that they or other members of their household would use the facility to swim for exercise while just under half of the respondents anticipated participating in recreational water play. Approximately one-third expected to use the facility for therapy, senior classes, water aerobics, swim lessons, summer camp programs, or swim team.
• Although interest in a new Aquatics Center in Manhattan Beach was found to be widespread, this interest did not translate into widespread support for various strategies for funding a new Aquatics Center. 70% support increasing fees paid by those who use City aquatics and recreational facilities and programs and 28% support increasing local property taxes by $140 per year or increasing the local sales tax rate by 1/4 cent. Support for public/private partnerships was not gauged as part of this survey.
City Council Direction at Joint Meeting
At the Joint City Council and Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on January 9, 2023, the City Council gave direction to commissioners and staff regarding project location, design, additional outreach, need for cost estimates, and preliminary funding considerations. Direction included the following:
• Prioritize the Begg Pool site
• Include two pools in the proposed design - one 25-meter shallow pool and one 35-meter competition pool
• Determine projected project costs, including pool and site renovations, as well as anticipated operating costs for a new facility
• Council will initiate dialogue with the Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) at the next City/School District Ad-Hoc Committee Meeting as Begg Pool is owned by MBUSD and operated by the City
• Parks and Recreation Commission to return to City Council for additional discussion about development of a 501(c)(3) organization and potential public/private partnerships to help fund the Begg Pool improvements
Request for Proposals
Staff recommends that the City Council approve staff development of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Begg Pool architectural and consultant services. Scope of services would include site analysis, needs assessment, schematic/concept design, and preparation of cost estimates for Begg Pool repairs or replacement. If approved, staff will return to the City Council for related funding for the architectural and consultant services as part of the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget process.
A similar process is being used for renovation of the Urho Saari Swim Stadium in El Segundo and development of the Community Aquatics and Senior Center Project in Gardena.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
True North ensured a statistically significant sample of the Manhattan Beach community was included in the aquatics survey. In addition, the Parks and Recreation Commission’s Aquatics Subcommittee conducted extensive outreach over the past two years, including numerous discussions with community stakeholders, pool operators and management, architects and aquatic design specialists, and financial and fundraising experts.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Aquatics Center Survey Summary Report
2. PowerPoint Presentation (True North Research)