LAKE HAVASU CITY — The Lake Havasu City Council spent more than half of its last board meeting discussing plans to build a second public swimming pool at the Aquatic Center. The discussion followed a brief presentation about the city’s General Plan being finalized for the ballot in November.
Most of those present supported the proposed second pool, but there was a miscommunication about its progress. The tense conversation at the city council meeting then continued two days later at the council’s budget meeting, where the council authorized funding for the pool but paused on current design plans.
According to Mayor Cal Sheehy, talk of building a second pool began over a year ago during a Coffee with the Mayor event. The idea gained popularity, and the council voted to move forward with the pool last June.
However, many residents have been wondering about the status of that project ten months later. The conversation at the meeting became heated when Vice Mayor Michele Lin asked where the pool project was about the request for proposal process.
City Manager Jess Knudson stated that $2.5 million for the pool is in the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget and will be available July 1 of this year. Specifically, the money was ready to go “if the council directs staff in that manner,” he said.
According to Lin, the city staff was waiting for the council to give direction that she believes was already given at the meeting last June. She read from the meeting minutes, which said, “[B]ased on discussions this evening … the city manager and staff is [sic] going to move up to start the process of requests for proposals and designs.”
Mayor Cal Sheehy argued that an RFP is impossible without knowing the pool’s location, which the council has not voted on. “We didn’t really give the city team anything to do, so it really falls on our shoulders,” he said at the meeting.
The main proposal suggests putting the pool at the Aquatic Center. Still, some council members were unaware of the desire for a longer pool, which the Aquatic Center does not have space to accommodate.
Many residents spoke in favor of the pool at the meeting, stressing the importance of making the pool 25-by-50 meters instead of the present proposal of 25-by-25 meters. Most citizens in attendance agreed the longer pool would better meet the community’s needs.
The existing pool can only facilitate 30 people per swim lesson, according to one speaker. Another claimed that he rarely uses the pool because it’s always full when he visits the Aquatic Center. One resident pointed out that the Aquatic Center is the second-listed attraction on the Go Lake Havasu website, which spoke to its popularity.
Several members representing Lake Havasu’s local Stingray swim team also favored the pool. Council Member Cameron Moses asked the Stringrays’ coach about the mixed messaging from the community. Many residents said that the smaller pool would be okay, he argued. However, when Campbell later asked for a show of hands, the longer pool was more popular.
The 25×50 option would require more funding and would not work at the Aquatic Center because there is not enough room. Council Member Jim Dolan defended the 25×25 option because he said it is more realistic and achievable.
“We haven’t come to [a] consensus…that’s really the stall,” Moses said. Council Member Diaz agreed with this and emphasized the need for better communication.
Speaking remotely, Diaz said, “What I’m hearing tonight from both sides of the dais—the people in the audience and the council members—is that it could all be solved by people communicating properly. I don’t think we’re communicating properly.”
While most of those present supported some version of the proposal, Council Member Nancy Campbell objected to the project altogether. She pointed to several recreational locations—such as the BMX track, shooting range, motorcycle track, stock car track, and a rodeo ground her family helped build—that taxpayers didn’t have to pay for. “The city doesn’t pay for any of that,” she said. “But all of a sudden, I’m getting this messaging, ‘The Stingrays want their own pool.’”
Campbell also cited the recent private spending of $750,000 to build pickleball courts. She supports the Parks and Recreation department but believes that big-ticket spending items, like a new swimming pool, do not reflect the priorities she campaigned on.
“What I’m hearing is there is no partnership with anybody,” said Campbell. “The only partnership is with all the taxpayers of Lake Havasu City building another swimming pool when I know a ton of taxpayers are worried about our water. That’s more important.”
She also said, “Parks and Rec is not a top priority for a municipality. Roads, infrastructure, water, public safety, fire—those are top priorities.”
However, Campbell became an unlikely champion for the pool two days later at the city’s budget meeting. In between the two meetings, several leaders and community members persuaded her to reconsider her position. Some also offered to bid on the project as well, she said.
At the budget meeting two days later, Campbell proposed rethinking the Aquatic Center proposal entirely. With additional community support, she argued that the community could reimagine the project in a way that might work for everyone.
She suggested redesigning the Aquatic Center parking lot, which she believes is already poorly designed, so the longer pool will fit. She also pointed out that the city leases the property across the street from the Aquatic Center, which is also an option with many other possibilities.
“We need to slow it down before we speed it up,” she said at the budget meeting. She told her fellow council members to give her a month to meet with community members to develop a new proposal that would work for everyone.
Everyone at the budget meeting agreed to move forward with the pool, but there was additional disagreement about the next steps. Another working session with public involvement was proposed, but Council Member Moses disagreed, believing it to be unnecessary.
The council encouraged community members who wish to contribute to the pool’s eventual design to contact the city staff and council as they make new plans.
