A recent grand opening ceremony for a new public aquatic center in Santa Ana, California, has drawn criticism from local residents who allege they and their children were barred from accessing the facility. The $29.3 million Memorial Park Aquatic Center celebrated its opening with a ribbon-cutting event on Saturday, October 17, attended by local politicians.
According to reports, some residents were informed that the opening was exclusively for "VIPs" and that children were not permitted to enter. Diana Vargas, a local resident, recounted that her children were turned away from the new facility, with staff stating it was "only for VIPs" and for "certain Washington Elementary kids." Vargas expressed disappointment, noting that her family had been looking forward to using the new water slide.
Elected officials, including Congressman Lou Correa and Santa Ana Councilmembers Phil Bacerra and David Penaloza, were present at the event, with some participating in promotional photos and videos shared online. City Council candidate Giovanni Chavez also posted a video on Instagram featuring Correa, highlighting the aquatic center as an expansion of city services. The timing of this ceremony, just weeks before the November general election, has raised questions.
Despite the October 17 ceremony, the Memorial Park Aquatic Center has not yet fully opened to the public. The Voice of OC reported that the facility is intended to offer year-round swimming programs. The delayed public opening has coincided with criticism from artists concerned about the ceremony's impact on efforts to restore a historic Chicano mural at the site.
Questions persist regarding the timeline for the facility's public access, potential admission fees, and the rationale behind holding a public opening before the center was ready for general use. Some councilmembers have stated they were unaware the pools would remain closed post-ceremony. City Manager Alvaro Nuñez and City Spokesman Paul Eakins have not provided public statements on the opening schedule.
Eakins, who directed inquiries to be submitted via email, did not respond to follow-up questions. Nuñez also declined to comment. However, an email from Nuñez to councilmembers, obtained by The Voice of OC, acknowledged issues with communication regarding the opening. "We recognize the importance of clear communication and timely community access," Nuñez wrote. "The concerns regarding staff communication, program planning, and delays in activating the aquatic center are under review through the City’s internal personnel process."
Nuñez added that the review would determine "appropriate corrective measures, including disciplinary action if warranted." He emphasized that the city's priority is ensuring the facility serves the community as intended. Councilman Ben Vazquez indicated that his latest information suggested the pools might open in May. Vargas and Vazquez criticized the city's handling of the event, with Vazquez suggesting that transparency was lacking and that the city may have been caught off guard by issues such as the mural restoration not being ready on the same day.