Long Beach council OKs final design, construction contract for Belmont Beach and Aquatics Center – Press Telegram

Long Beach’s long-awaited Belmont Beach and Aquatics Center project is finally moving forward.

After more than a decade of planning and financial challenges, the City Council unanimously approved the final plans for the project and awarded a construction contract during its Tuesday, Jan. 20, meeting. Councilmembers highlighted the need for the costly renovations to the pool – about $105.1 million – but also advocated for equitable use of the facility for all Long Beach residents.

This action transitions the long-planned project from planning to construction, and brings Long Beach closer to delivering a modern, inclusive aquatics facility along the waterfront, city officials said.

“While this project has gone on for a long time and (had) lots of discussion,” Mayor Rex Richardson said, “we’re proud that the City Council tonight is in a position to make a decision to move this project forward, which I support.”

The project had progressed through a complex and challenging journey shaped by rising construction costs, coastal regulatory requirements, and the need to redesign earlier concepts to ensure long-term financial sustainability while preserving the community’s core priorities.

The effort to replace the former Belmont Plaza Pool began after the facility was demolished in 2014 because of seismic safety concerns. Over the years, the city has worked closely with residents, community organizations and technical experts to refine the project’s scope and design.

Last January, the city hosted a community meeting to share updated plans, renderings, cost information and anticipated timelines. Since that time, the revised project has completed plan check and permitting approvals, including getting the OK from the California Coastal Commission, and was released for competitive bidding among prequalified contractors.

Following a thorough evaluation, the construction contract was awarded to Bernards Bros., Inc., valued at around $60 million, based on the company’s experience, qualifications and demonstrated ability to deliver complex public projects within coastal and regulatory environments at a competitive cost, officials said.

The final design for the Belmont Beach and Aquatics Center will support a wide range of recreational, instructional and competitive uses for the community. The facility will include a 50-meter outdoor competition pool with a movable bulkhead to allow flexible programming for lap swimming, training and events. There will also be a separate recreational and instructional pool featuring a zero-depth entry, spray features and dedicated space for swim instruction and water play, Public Works Director Josh Hickman said during the council presentation.

Supporting amenities will include shaded spectator seating, bleachers, locker rooms, showers, family changing areas and public restrooms.

The facility will also be made accessible, with features such as zero-depth pool entry, pool lifts, accessible restrooms and family changing rooms, according to the staff report.

“This pool has served many generations of Long Beach residents, and it’s going to continue to do so in the years ahead,” said Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan. “It’s consistently provided a meaningful way for people to engage with our shoreline in a safe and accessible setting. And as trustees of the tidelands, one of our core responsibilities is to encourage the people of California to use and enjoy this coastline. The history of the Belmont Pool shows that this site has fulfilled that responsibility for decades, rebuilding the pool honors that purpose while responding to today’s needs and realities.”

The entire panel supported the project, though councilmembers who represent districts farthest from the pool, such as the west side and North Long Beach, shared some concerns with ensuring equitable access to the facility.

City staffers, though, assured the council that this was being focused on, and as the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine oversees the facility, it would also take responsibility to ensure every community is informed about the resource. The project also includes an “Equity and Public Access Program,” which will offer programming, scholarships and other ways to ensure equity.

This includes afterschoool swimming lessons, low-cost weekend recreation swim sessions, summer day camp programs, an LA84 Foundation subsidy program for youth interested in water polo, “dive-in” movies, access for seniors, and transportation assistance for people with limited mobility or access, said tidelands program manager, Charlene Angsuco, as well as partnerships with schools, churches and other civic organizations in underserved areas.

More information about these opportunities will be shared publicly as details come to fruition and are finalized, officials said.

Other projects are also underway to address “pool deserts” in the city, Richardson said. As part of the city’s Elevate ‘28 Infrastructure Investment Plan, for example, the city plans to build a pool at Ramona Park in North Long Beach.

The approved Belmont Beach and Aquatics Center project will deliver long-term community benefits, while maintaining fiscal responsibility, officials said. The current design has been refined to align with available funding while preserving essential programming, accessibility features and community-serving amenities.

Funding is provided primarily through the city’s Tidelands Fund and authorized appropriations, with a remaining funding gap identified and addressed through ongoing financial planning, according to the staff report. Tidelands Funds are restricted dollars and can only be spent on projects on the coast, per state law.

The total estimated cost for the project, with a reserve set aside, is about $105.1 million, Modica said. The funding gap to complete the work is estimated at $28 million.

The city will look for ways to reduce that gap by looking for any grants that the project may be eligible for – such as the Native Dune and Habitat Grant – as well as using Los Angeles County Measure A dollars, energy efficiency money and bond proceeds, Modica said.

There are also the operating and maintenance expenses for the facility once it opens. Those costs include personnel, consumable goods/chemicals/utilities, and regulatory obligations, according to the staff report. There is currently a $2.3 million funding gap for those costs.

In order to have the project fully funded, city staffers recommended debt financing. The city would pay about $1.48 million in annual debt service for 30 years, and there would be an $2.3 million increase in the park’s department’s operations and maintenance budget, according to the staff report.

“We’re recommending that we identify solutions within tidelands and new revenue to be able to pay for that,” Modica said, and there are four major ideas that staffers presented to the council.

They include sponsorship and advertising for the Belmont Pool, parking structure revenue increases, tidelands parking — including Alamitos Bay Marina Parking Management Program and Overnight Parking — and some fee increases for exclusive use of the facility, Modica said.

“We have to invest in assets,” Richardson said. “It helps the whole city when we do that.”

With construction now authorized, the city anticipates breaking ground on the project this summer, and expects the facility to be completed and ready to serve the community in advance of the 2028 Olympic Games.