Aquatics FAQs
All aquatics programs are held at the George Elder Pool, 1950 Wilcox Avenue.
Aquatic programming continues at George Elder Pool, including swim lessons, lap swim, recreational swimming, water aerobics, the Manta Rays swim team, and Mark Keppel High School’s swim programs — ensuring continued access for residents of all ages. Find more information HERE.
The City of Monterey Park has taken proactive steps to address safety concerns by backfilling the closed Barnes Park pool. Due to its aging condition, the pool has been out of service for an extended period and is beyond repair. As a result, all swim programs are being held at George Elder pool. The empty pool presented several safety risks, including potential fall hazards, the accumulation of standing water, and the breeding of mosquitoes. To mitigate these issues, city crews backfilled the pool. Currently, there are no plans for future projects at the site.
In addition, the City Council has prioritized the development of a Parks System Master Plan to help guide the future of Monterey Park’s open spaces, recreational programming, and public facilities. This community-driven process, launched in March 2024 with support from LA County Measure A, is now completed. The final plan can be found here.
Rebuilding Barnes Pool presents a significant financial challenge. A 2019 estimate placed the cost at approximately $8 million, and construction costs have increased substantially since then. Based on recent pool projects in surrounding cities, current estimates may exceed $20 million. By contrast, recent improvements to gym facilities, restrooms, and playgrounds were more affordable, requiring only a fraction of funding. This difference in scale has made those smaller projects more immediately feasible within the City’s existing budget.
Due to the scale of the project and the lack of immediate funding, there is not an updated cost estimate. However, the City is currently working to develop a community-driven conceptual design for Barnes Park Pool. The conceptual design will allow for current cost estimates.
The City Council has allocated $250,000 from this year’s budget surplus to support initiatives identified in the Parks System Master Plan. This funding will help kick-start priority projects and guide the development of next steps, including exploring funding opportunities for larger efforts, such as the Barnes Park Pool.
The City has been able to grow its reserves over the past few years through responsible fiscal management; however, it must continue to be fiscally prudent. There are critical needs as well that will require significant resources (i.e. replacing fire station 63, street repairs, other park amenities replacement/repairs, other aging city facilities). The City needs to approach major capital projects strategically and responsibly. There is also tremendous economic uncertainty ahead that the City will need to be cautious about.
In addition, the City has recently applied for multiple grants for the redevelopment of Barnes Park pool. The City has applied for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant for $6,000,000 and anticipates results in March of 2026. Through LA County Measure A competitive grants, the City has applied for the maximum of $500,000 for Planning and Design, and the maximum of $4,000,000 for Regional Recreation and anticipates results in March of 2026. The City remains committed to pursuing and applying for grant opportunities.
The City has maintained ongoing dialogue with the Alhambra Unified School District. City staff will continue to explore potential partnerships and funding strategies with AUSD moving forward, but there is no formal funding allocated at this time.