By Eliza Ridgeway

The notion of a pool at Los Altos’ civic center tickled the interest of residents who spoke at the Los Altos City Council meeting Feb. 12. But any definitive move of the hypothetical pool from the Rosita Park neighborhood to downtown is still far off, according to city council members and pool fundraiser John Day.

“We have an approved design at a location that has taken a lot of thought and planning and represents a compromise on all sides,” City Councilman David Casas said of the Rosita plan. “Separately, we have the community center renovation discussion, and part of that has been the potential of putting a warm-water pool adjacent to the senior center so that there could be exercise. The question has been posed, why have a duplicate infrastructure? Now is the time to have the discussion not only among task force members but also among the community.”

“It (is) more of an exploratory activity than a fait accompli,” Day said, with cautious enthusiasm, of a pool complex downtown. “It would probably mean – this is speculation – we could return to the original pool concept. … It would be two pools plus a play area.”

The community pool could become solvent more easily and with greater speed if two pools scheduled multiple fund-producing activities, such as swim lessons and exercise for seniors, at the same time. As part of the compromise process with the Rosita neighborhood, pool planners scaled back to a single pool and play area for the revised Rosita design.

Because the pool foundation must still raise approximately $3 million before construction begins, city planners and volunteers have a generous timeline to consider a location change.

“Until we get the money, we are not building Rosita,” Day said, confirming the foundation had no plans to break ground this year.

The council approved an architect for the civic center’s master plan Tuesday at the same time it encouraged adding the pool as a possible feature for the center. The council allocated $280,000 for a 14-month master planning effort with San Jose-based Anderson Brulé Architects.

City staff reported that the firm had civic, recreational and library design experience, as well as leadership in green architecture and experience with historical buildings comparable to the Los Altos History Museum. The firm developed the new public library shared between the city of San Jose and San Jose State University.

Contact Eliza Ridgeway at elizar@latc.com.