IRVINE

The future of the city’s only public competitive swimming facility is on the City Council’s June 13 agenda.

City Council members will consider shelving plans to renovate the Heritage Park Aquatic Complex, citing recent construction estimates that exceed the project’s $12-million budget by more than $5 million.

If the council postpones the work, local officials and swim coaches will have to search for alternative pool space.

One possibility would be to used funds budgeted for the project to build pools at or near Northwood and Woodbridge high schools for local swim teams.

Dave Salo, head coach of the Novaquatics swim club, said those could suffice as stopgap facilities, but that the community would benefit more from a centrally located, top-flight aquatic center.

“A showcase facility like Heritage allows us to have national and international competition . . . that two lesser sites may not be able to,� he said.