Newport’s single-pool plan ‘not safe,’ swim coach says

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- As Newport-Mesa Unified School District officials

prepare to turn off the heat at Corona del Mar High School’s pool

Thursday because of spiraling energy costs, one of the city’s top swim

and water polo coaches has come out opposing city plans to merge all of

its aquatic programs at one pool at Newport Harbor High School.

“I’ve [coached] for 35 years, and I think it’s not safe,” Ted

Bandaruk, who oversees the city’s aquatic programs at Corona del Mar

High’s pool, said Monday. “I don’t think any pool can handle that many

people a day, and stay clean and healthy.

“I think with 1,400 kids in a pool in a day, something is going to

happen that’s bad,” said Bandaruk, adding that Newport Harbor High’s pool

would be used from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. as a result of the merger.

Standing at the edge of Corona del Mar High’s pool, swim instructor

and city lifeguard Shawna Hughes agreed.

“I just think it’s a lot of people for one pool,” she said. “I don’t

see how these people are going to fit.”

Andrea McGuire, the city’s recreation manager, said health and safety

should not be a problem.

“There are other pools that get far heavier use than that,” she said.

She added that she was still waiting for a call back from district

officials to tell her if the city had exclusive use of the pool during

the day or if it would have to share it with others.

In the latter case, safety might become an issue, McGuire said.

District officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

The controversy arose after district officials decided to charge the

city for extra energy costs and Newport Beach officials responded by

limiting their summer swimming program to a single pool.

At last week’s City Council meeting, Mayor Gary Adams harshly

criticized district officials for charging money. District officials have

countered that they will have to cut other school programs if they

shoulder all of the pool heating and filtration costs this summer, which

would come to $422 per day.

A meeting between top city and district officials is scheduled for

today to discuss the matter.

“I just don’t think we understand totally the financial impact to the

school district or to us,” said Councilman Tod Ridgeway, who will attend

the meeting. He added that he wanted both sides to consider all options

to keep both pools open.

Newport Beach resident Marian Bergeson, who finished her term on the

state board of education in March and also plans to attend the meeting,

said she wanted to help find a solution.

“My hope is that we can come to a resolve and find a way to keep the

pool open,” said Bergeson, adding that she takes her grandchildren to

Corona del Mar High’s pool, which bears her name.

While Ridgeway said he didn’t think the city should offer to pay for

the additional costs, Councilman John Heffernan, who will also attend the

meeting, said he would support picking up the tab if that’s the only way

to resolve the issue.

“This is just the kind of business the city is in,” Heffernan, whose

two sons are on water polo teams, said Tuesday. “I want to get this thing

resolved. A lot of people are having their plans up in the air.”

Eastbluff resident Daniel Harkins, who has two daughters in the city’s

aquatic program, said the city should figure out a way to prevent the

closure of Corona del Mar High’s pool.

“We’re a beach community, a swimming community,” he said. “To have the

nicest swimming facility closed for the summer seems totally

unacceptable.”