REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: AARON A. AGUIRRE, Director
Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services Department
SHELBY MACNAB, Assistant Director
Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services Department
BY: KAYLA GARCIA-SHIELDS, Program Manager
Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Parks, After School Recreation and Community Services Department’s (PARCS) Summer Swim Program with Fresno Unified School District:
1. Approve a one-year facility use “Blue Space” Agreement with Fresno Unified School District (FUSD) to use FUSD high school pools for City-led swim lessons and recreational swim (aquatics).
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute the Facility Use Blue Space Agreement with FUSD.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve a one-year Facility Use “Blue Space” Agreement with FUSD for access to high school pools for City-led aquatics programming and authorize the City Manager to sign the agreement.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff are requesting authority to enter into a Facility Use “Blue Space” Agreement with FUSD to enable access to FUSD pools as part of the PARCS Aquatics program. Access to FUSD pools will increase PARCS capacity to provide swim lessons and recreational swim to the community. This action will provide signatory authority to ensure seamless access to aquatics facilities for the community.
BACKGROUND
FUSD and PARCS have collaborated for many years to increase access to recreation space, public pools and community programming. During the summer months, the PARCS Department provides swim lessons and recreational swim at City-owned facilities and FUSD High School pools or “Blue Space.” Over the last several months, PARCS staff and FUSD have been meeting regularly to collaborate on agreements, schedules, recruitment of lifeguard staff at local high schools and strategies to maximize the community’s access to blue space citywide.
As a result of the partnership between the City of Fresno and FUSD, in 2023 the Aquatics Program was able to achieve significant outcomes which include:
• Providing 3,065 people with 17,124 swim lessons
• 30,833 recreational swim visits
• A 50% increase in swim lesson enrollment
• A 44% increase in total recreational swim participation
• Hiring 54 FUSD students, a 33% increase in student employment year over year
Approval of the “Blue Space” Agreement will ensure the City of Fresno has access to up to seven (7) FUSD high school pools for swim lessons, up to five (5) pools may also be accessed for recreational swim. Under the proposed agreement and contingent upon adequate staffing, swim lessons can be provided by PARCS staff at the following FUSD high schools: Bullard, Edison, Fresno, Hoover, McLane, Roosevelt and Sunnyside. Community recreational swim can be made available at up to five high schools including: Edison, Fresno, Hoover, McLane and Roosevelt. Schedules for swim lessons and recreational swim will be available on the PARCS website.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The contracted services will be provided at FUSD aquatic facilities. By definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 they do not qualify as “projects” and therefore are exempt from CEQA requirements.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable since this item will not include a bid or award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Facility Use Agreement with FUSD will have no fiscal impact.
Attachment:
Facility Use Blue Space Agreement