At the Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum, a question was posed by an audience member regarding the city’s need for a community center and pool. Alison Osinski asked the candidates if they would be willing to commit to a deadline of one year to secure land for the pool and recreation center.
After a brief misunderstanding that the commitment would be to finalize the plan, eventually there was some clarity in the fact that Osinski was simply asking for a commitment of land set aside for the project to be planned. Osinski was simply asking the that the candidate pledge to have the land designated within a year.
The two most logical options would be to ask the Catalina Island Company to find space for the project, or that the city make room on city-owned property for a pool and community center. There were no solid commitments, but the question certainly put the issue in the minds of the candidates, who seemed to agree that a community center and pool are needed.
Two-year term candidate Carl Johnson noted that one year is a short amount of time to get a firm commitment but said that the issue should be put on the front burner.
“We should consider some sort of timeline,” Johnson said.
The other candidate for the two-year term, Michael Ponce agreed that the community is in need of a pool, but also noted that it took two years of negotiating with the Island Company before getting a commitment of land for the new hospital. He said that he does feel the Island Company should be able to find land for a pool.
“They do need to find a way of providing land for our pool,” Ponce said.
Oley Olsen pointed out that these types of agreements are often bogged down by a chicken and egg type of scenario. The project needs land and money and either can be difficult to obtain without the other. He used the hospital as an example, which tried to get funding with a ballot measure that failed. Olsen said that his take was that the Island Company realized the hospital plan needed a land commitment to make it easier to begin finding funding, so they worked out a way to provide the land.
“I think something similar would happen with Las Casitas and the pool and community center, within a year, I don’t know, that’s the tough part,” Olsen said.
Las Casitas was a reference to another Island Company project that potentially included a pool. Anni Marshall noted it as well, while also noting that potential pool was considered on hospital land, as well as city land. Between the three plans there might be a common ground solution, Marshall said.
“There could be a partnership perhaps that should be considered as we move forward,” Marshall said.
Lisa Lavelle used her answer time to note that while she does not have an immediate answer, she also spoke of finding partnerships to find a solution to the pool and recreation center issue.
“I think we need to look at how we can build that partnership better to be able to actually make that happen,” Lavelle said.
Sarahi De La Rosa said that regardless of problems and incumbrances if the community wants this issue finalized and put into works, the council needs to listen and make it a priority.
“It is now our responsibility to find a solution … if that’s what the community wants then we have to make it happen,” De La Rosa said.
Yolanda “Yoli” Montano said that it is not only the council’s responsibility, but a necessity at this point.
“I think it would be part of our quality of life for our children,” Montano said.
