In a fundraising campaign that began in 2025, Carpinteria collected nearly $500,000 toward its community swimming pool improvements when word came through in mid-September that a package, secured by State Senator Monique Limón and signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, provides $3.3 million for full safety and operational repairs at Carpinteria’s aging pool. (Another $1.1 million will support accessibility and facility improvements at the Carpinteria Community Library.)
“We honestly didn’t dare dream when we started this effort that we would receive this level of support, so we are really excited to be able to think a little more broadly about the long-term needs of the facility!” said Jeanette Gant, director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services.
The pool remains largely untouched since opening in 1989, according to the Keep Carp Swimming project website. Much of its equipment and infrastructure is approaching the end of its useful life, and a facility needs assessment examined the facility pre-emptively, rather than waiting for major equipment to fail. It identified accessibility needs, along with replacing or upgrading mechanical equipment, the pool heater, chemical-feed systems, gutters, and portions of the pool deck.
“This is largely preventative,” said Gant. “Much of the work isn’t necessarily exciting or visible to the public, but it is essential to keeping the pool operating safely and reliably for the long term.”
Gant said the project was in the design phase, and with permitting, it could be early fall 2027 before any work begins. The repairs will close the pool for six months, and Gant said the closure was scheduled for winter 2027-28 to reduce its effect on swimmers and programs.
The closure would affect lap swimming, recreational use, lessons, and school and youth programs. During the fiscal year from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the pool recorded 16,452 member check-ins and 3,265 drop-in visits, totaling 19,717 visits for general use. Another 499 people participated in city swim lessons. As well, Carpinteria Unified School District programs also take place at the city pool, including lessons for third- and sixth-grade classes and district athletic programs. Nonprofit programs, including Fun in the Sun and Girls Inc., also offer lessons there, Gant said.
The city is continuing to raise $500,000 for less urgent work, such as painting throughout the faciliy, new lane lines and thermal pool covers, energy-efficient LED lighting, a commercial-grade pool vacuum, interior flooring, entry signs, and additional CPR and safety equipment.
Carpinteria Mayor Natalia Alarcon credited residents, community leaders, and state officials for their roles in securing funding for the two facilities.
“This milestone is the definition of a true team effort,” Alarcon said in a written statement. “From the residents and community leaders whose contributions built critical momentum, to Senator Monique Limón and Governor Gavin Newsom’s support for Carpinteria on the state level, this achievement belongs to all of us.”
“I was proud to secure a $4.4 million state investment to support the City of Carpinteria’s efforts in preserving these vital resources for residents and future generations,” Limón said in a written statement.
Any unused donations will go into a capital replacement fund through the Santa Barbara Foundation. Gant said the goal is to prepare for future repairs and equipment replacements before another large fundraising campaign becomes necessary.
