Pool status update from district on Tuesday night agenda

The Sonoma Valley school board will get an update on a possible new pool at SVHS at their Tuesday meeting.|

An update on the possible construction of a pool at Sonoma Valley High School is slated for the Sonoma Unified School District board meeting this evening, Tuesday, Sept. 11.

Bruce Abbott, the district’s associate superintendent of business services, will give the update, and Tenaya Dale of Counterpoint Construction, Kevin Chapin of Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and Paul Favaro of Sonoma Splash will also be on hand.

This spring, the nonprofit Sonoma Splash abandoned its long-held plans to build a public pool at the site of the old Paul’s Resort property in El Verano and began talks with the school district about a possible joint pool project at the high school.

The school district has consulted with its bond counsel about any legal issues that might arise, as well as with its architect and construction manager to look at design possibilities.

For years the school had an on-campus pool that also served as a community pool.

However, the pool was filled at the request of the then-district superintendent Kim Jamieson in the summer of 2005, ostensibly because of safety concerns and the cost of upgrading the aged pumping system. Jamieson resigned in early November of that same year.

Filling in the pool left the community without a pool and also meant that the high school’s swim and water polo teams had to practice off-campus.

The meeting will be held at the Council Chambers, 177 First St. W., with the closed session at 5:30 p.m. and the open session at 6:30 p.m.

Reach Janis Mara at janis.mara@sonomanews.com.

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