Board member Margie Wakeham said she is concerned that the plan will take district money away from building schools. More details on funding the projects will be brought back to the board on June 26. The plan, put forth by Councilman Greg Smith and school board member Carolyn McInerney, attempts to push pools to the top of the priority list for Irvine. In recent years, Irvine has faced the threat of losing the Heritage Aquatics Complex, which would leave the city with no pool. Studies concluded that pools at Northwood and Woodbridge high schools would off-set demands until Heritage can be reconstructed.
Funding continues to be a hold-up.
Councilman Smith said the plan would not cost the school district money from its operating budget. Smith said he will seek the reallocation of city money earmarked to be used to fight the El Toro airport. The plan also calls for the city to pay for maintenance and liability costs, which would not cut into the school district's operating expenses. The plan must be approved by the City Council and will be placed on the agenda for June 26. Smith said that once the two pools are operating, the Heritage complex can be torn down and a 50-meter pool can be built at the city's expense.