Fundraising campaign aims to replace the outdated pools
By Leigh Ann Maze
While Los Gatos High School boasts excellent academics, the school's pool facility built in 1955 is "bottom of the barrel," according to water polo coach Matt Anderson.
At mid-century, the state claimed its right of eminent domain to build Highway 17, and the town's creekside swimming pool was sacrificed. The state reimbursed Los Gatos for the lost pool, and the money was turned over for the building of the current Los Gatos High School pools, one lap pool and two smaller pools for wading and diving.
"It's a very old facility, and it's way past time for it to be renovated," said Los Gatos High School Principal Trudy McCulloch.
"It really doesn't service the needs of the swimming programs we have now," she said, citing pool-users such as Los Gatos-Saratoga Community Education and Recreation swim programs, and high-school swimming and water polo teams and physical education classes.
The current lap pool is too shallow (3 feet, 7 inches deep) and small to accommodate water polo practice or games. The Los Gatos High girls water polo teams jockey for pool time at San José City College while the boys teams, under coach Anderson, rent evening pool-time at West Valley College. Anderson has been inquiring about getting a new pool since he began coaching seven years ago, but it wasn't until parents spearheaded the effort, "grabbing the bull by the horns and taking on the majority of the work," that things began to move forward, Anderson said.
The group of about 30 parents and teachers was started by parents Charles and Sharlene Bannan, Bob Crowder and Anderson. "As parents we are embarrassed by the existing pool. It's old, shallow, dangerous, and the gutter system does not work," Charles Bannan said. "It would be nice to have a facility that all the high school teams and the community can use."
They banded together in June and began raising money and making plans for a new pool facility. "I've never seen a group move as quickly as they have," McCulloch said. Because the state will not be contributing this time, and the school can't use any of the $79 million measure B bond money because it is slated for use only toward renovating, upgrading and constructing new instructional facilities, a new pool is only possible through community fundraising.
The new facility, estimated to carry a price-tag of $1.58 million, will consist of an L-shaped Olympic size pool with six lanes of long course (50 meters) by eight lanes of short course (25 yards), a diving area with two-one meter and two-three meter boards, two water polo courts, increased depth for water polo and starting block dives, new filtration and chlorination system, a new deck area with spectator stands, zero clearance gutters and a movable submersible bulkhead that will allow for reconfiguration and maximum use of the pool.
Eighty percent of the money is needed by February 2000 if the group is to stay on schedule and start pool construction in June 2000, finishing the pool by spring 2001.
Bannan estimates pledges of support received from the public sector, including the city of Monte Sereno, the town of Los Gatos, Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District, Los Gatos-Saratoga Department of Community Education and Recreation and Los Gatos Union School District put them about half way to their fundraising goal. "The second half is going to be the toughest part," Bannan said. "It's a challenge that keeps me awake at night, but we really want to stay on schedule."
This month the group is kicking off its private sector fundraising campaign, reaching out to parents and community members for support. "The real push is the community because we think it's a community asset, not just for the high school," Bannan said, citing hopes for a masters swim program, handicapped programs and more recreation and swimming classes for the community.
An informational and fundraising meeting about the LGHS pool will be held Nov. 18 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 91 of the school. The meeting is open to the public. Information is also available on "The Pool" website at www.lghs.net/thepool.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
