By Michael A. Hernandez
“Open Clairemont Pool Now!” That’s the message Clairemont residents had for the City of San Diego at a recent demonstration almost 2 years after the closure of the public swimming facility.
Frustrated community members gathered Saturday, September 12 in front of the pool by the South Clairemont Recreation Center with signs in hand demanding immediate action from the city, as the Clairemont Family Day event took place behind them at the South Clairemont Park.
The annual event featured a car show, pony rides, civic groups and much more. Among the many booths were representatives of the San Diego Parks and Recreation Department who were there to answer questions about the city’s progress on the major renovations being made to the pool.
The protest group made up of local residents, students, and athletes was spearheaded by Clairemont resident Gina Spears, who once told ABC News 10 the pool’s closure directly affected her son and his water polo team.
Speaking to them again at the gathering, Spears said:
“It’s just a really wonderful showing that the community would come out and support this group and our effort, and it’s all just to get the kids back in the pool.”
The pool served people of all ages, from families and kids for recreational swimming, to schools and aquatic teams for practice purposes.
The Clairemont Pool has been closed since November of 2024 after a boiler failure caused cold water temperatures. After missing its initial reopening date around June of 2025, the project faced multiple delays for a number of reasons — particularly in May of 2026, when the price of fencing material and installation went up and the city exhausted their contract capacity for the site, according to Parks and Recreation Assistant Deputy Director Nicole McNeil.
On Wednesday, September 9, McNeil assured the public the project is back on track while showcasing the progress at the site and taking questions from local media. When asked what specific parts of the project had been completed, McNeil said they have demolished and replaced the pool deck, installed new pool tile, upgraded pool lighting and electrical work, improved accessibility, and installed perimeter fence posts.
When asked what was left to do, she said the remaining major construction items are the installation of fence panels, completion of the final plaster work after the fence is installed, the installation of the pump and new pool filtration system, and lastly, the final inspections and project closeout. As for the interior of the building, McNeil said they are planning on installing new lockers. After that they will evaluate what funding they have left to see if they will be able to do some more upgrades. She emphasized however, the plan is to reopen as soon as the most important items are completed, and potentially do some future upgrades after the fact.
In their progress update, the city said they now expect the pool to re-open within the next six or seven months by April of 2027. McNeil acknowledged the frustration residents must be feeling, saying “This is, a pool that is highly utilized by the community, and we’re, you know, working really hard to get it reopened as soon as possible.”
McNeil also revealed that they are expecting contractors to mobilize again to restart in two to three weeks. Asked if the city had any message to share with the community, McNeil responded “It’s really important for us to be able to show the community how many significant improvements that have been made and to make sure the community knows that we will be communicative throughout the rest of the process for this pool until it reopens”. On the update, rally organizer Spears said “That is a wonderful first step, but we will hold the city accountable to make sure that every step of the way they are meeting their schedule”.
In their media advisory prior to their Wednesday press event, the city called the project the “first major renovations to the pool since it opened in 1979” and said “the project is fully funded at approximately $3 million, which includes $2 million in state grant funds and $900,000 in Citywide Park Development Impact Fees.” After more than 2 years and $3 million, residents will have to wait and see if the pool time they sacrificed was worth it.
It seems incredible that the City of San Diego closes a community pool in populous Clairemont to repair a mechanical malfunction and then manages to keep it shut down for two and a half years — including the hottest summer in the history of local weather-records!
Meanwhile, City Hall right now is on the verge of unloading to developers at a huge loss to taxpayers the infamous asbestos-riddled money-pit bought from SDGE at 101 Front Street and recently renumbered ‘107 Front Street’. Our Mayor and Clowncil also are pushing through Sacramento the massively tall and dense Midway HighRising Project that is both illegal (ignores the 30-foot coastal zone height-limit and the California Environmental Quality Act) and scandalous (the chosen developer is Mayor Gloria’s biggest campaign donor.)
In the rear view mirror is the City’s scam of kited trash collection fees for residents; closed restrooms at Mission Bay Park in sweltering August; failed attempts to impose paid parking at our beaches and in Balboa Park.
It is discouraging when elected representatives are too busy doing big-time bad stuff to bother with the small potatoes of maintaining a single community pool.