Dear Mayor Nash and Councilmembers,
I hope you are doing well. I am forwarding the email thread below because I believe it raises an important Environmental Justice issue that deserves the Council’s attention.
Meredith’s emails give the Council a sense of what Belle Haven residents have been telling her about the reduced pool hours and how important AquaFit is.
Beginning September 8, Belle Haven Pool will be open Monday through Friday from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Saturday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, and Sunday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. On the other hand, Burgess will have weekday hours beginning as early as 6:00 am and extending to 8:00 pm with substantially more weekend hours.
I understand that the City has budget constraints and that the two facilities have different schedules. However, I think the Council should consider what this means for equitable access to a public facility in Belle Haven. There will be no weekday morning access at Belle Haven which is particularly significant for seniors who participate in AquaFit.
There is also a climate and heat issue that I believe should be part of this discussion. The City’s Environmental Justice work identifies Belle Haven as having greater exposure to heat, including because of its smaller tree canopy. As we experience more frequent and intense heat events, a public pool is not simply a recreation facility. It can also be an important resource for residents to stay cool and safe close to home.
I am concerned that the Belle Haven Community Campus may not have the capacity to accommodate a large number of residents during a significant heat wave. As a former San Mateo County employee, I experienced firsthand the work involved in helping residents during heat waves, freezes, and storms. I know how important preparation and access to safe places can be, especially for older adults and other vulnerable residents.
This is why I believe the City’s Environmental Justice Element should be part of this discussion. The City has committed to equity, meaningful community involvement, and equitable access to public facilities and recreation in communities that have experienced historical inequities.
Meredith also raised the possibility of working with Race Swami, an organization already serving Belle Haven, to develop a senior water-aerobics program. I think it is an opportunity the City should explore.
I am not asking the Council to ignore the City’s budget realities. I am asking that the Council consider the full picture: senior wellness, equitable access, climate resilience, and the commitments the City made in its Environmental Justice Element.
I hope the Council will give this issue careful consideration in light of those commitments.
Thank you for your service and have a wonderful week!
Eduardo L. Hernandez
Belle Haven Resident since 2000
________________________________
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2026 8:06 PM
To: Nicholas J. Szegda
Cc: Justin I. C. Murphy ; Natalya R. Jones ; Cecilia Taylor ; Betsy Nash ;
Subject: Re: Belle Haven Reduced Pool Hours and Programs
Hello again Nick and the BHCC Team,
I’d like to propose a collaborative approach to ensure Belle Haven residents continue to benefit from accessible senior wellness programs, specifically AquaFit. Belle Haven seniors are really upset at the idea of this program being taken away from them.
I’ve recently learned that Rondel has engaged with Race Swami (I have ccd Race Swami CEO, Matt Finnigan) to develop a senior water aerobics program. Given the alignment with our EJ Elements commitment to equity, this presents a fantastic opportunity to build a sustainable partnership with a non-profit that is currently serving adults and children in Belle Haven.
Is this something we can pursue? At least schedule a meeting to discuss? We are prepared to collaborate to find solutions.
Thank you,
-Meredith
On Thu, Aug 20, 2026 at 12:47 PM Meredith Rohr > wrote:
Thank you, Nick. Look forward to seeing you on deck!
Look forward to seeing you tonight, Natalya!
Best,
Meredith
Signed, Merediths iPhone
On 20 Aug 2026, at 12:46, Nicholas J. Szegda > wrote:
Hi Meredith –
Correct – the subsidized City hours end on September 8. I will try to connect with you tomorrow afternoon. Natalya said that there is a neighborhood community meeting tonight that she will be attending.
Cheers -
Nicholas J. Szegda
Library and Community Services Director
Menlo Park Library
800 Alma St.
tel 650-330-2506
menlopark.gov
Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2026 11:55 AM
To: Nicholas J. Szegda >
Cc: Justin I. C. Murphy >; Natalya R. Jones >; Cecilia Taylor >; Betsy Nash >;
Subject: Re: Belle Haven Reduced Pool Hours and Programs
Thanks for the quick response, Nick!
I will be on deck tomorrow at 4-5pm if you and/or Natalya would like to stop by. :)
To make sure I understand this correctly - the City is no longer funding hours for the 2026 year and MSS is not receiving any City funding after September 8th (when the hours change), correct?
Appreciate the clarification and your partnership. And please do what you can to keep Aqua Fit, the residents are quite fond of that program.
Best,
Meredith
On Thu, Aug 20, 2026 at 11:31 AM Nicholas J. Szegda > wrote:
Hi Meredith –
The decision to reduce the City-funded pool hours at both aquatic centers was made as part of efforts to balance the City’s budget in June. Without the extra hours funded by the City, Menlo Swim and Sport is reverting back to a seasonal schedule at Belle Haven – more hours in the summer high-use season, fewer in the lower-use season when school is in session. Their contract has a minimum of 63 hours per week at both pools during the 8 week of the summer season, then a minimum of 30 hours at Belle Haven and 63 hours at Burgess during the off-season.
I totally understand how the reduction in hours is upsetting, especially after all of the work the community did to try to make the pool programming at the Belle Haven Pool more responsive to their needs. A change in service level is never easy, and reductions on this scale are going to affect users. Staff worked with MSS to try to keep the BH Pool open during the times when there was the most current off-season usage: afternoons and early evenings during the week when there are swim lessons and swim teams, weekend hours when families are likely to use the pool for recreational swimming. We are working with Menlo Swim and Sport to keep the morning aquafit class at Belle Haven going past September 8 – it has been popular – and my hope is that we can continue to grow the swimming program at the Belle Haven Pool so that we can continue to bring back more pool open hours.
I’m going to be out at the Campus tomorrow, and I will see if you are around for a check-in, or we can try to connect by phone in the next couple of days. Natalya is also around and available for follow-up.
Cheers -
Nicholas J. Szegda
Library and Community Services Director
Menlo Park Library
800 Alma St.
tel 650-330-2506
menlopark.gov
Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2026 7:35 AM
To: Justin I. C. Murphy >; Nicholas J. Szegda >; Natalya R. Jones >; Cecilia Taylor >; Betsy Nash >;
Subject: Belle Haven Reduced Pool Hours and Programs
Hello Justin, Nick, and Natalya,
Many people have reached out to me asking that I contact you about the reduced hours after September 8th.
Comments include:
* The months of September and October are hot, why are they shutting down hours now?
* “Stunned” that the Aqua Fit class been canceled; that Aqua Fit "has done so much for the senior women. For some it is their main focus of exercise. It has done wonders for my joint movement.”
* "Burgess is open until 8 every week night, Belle Haven never. Burgess is open until 4 Saturday and Belle Haven only until 3. Nights and weekends are when people get to swim.”
Residents want the pool open at the current hours through September and October, while it’s still warm outside, and seniors want to keep Aqua Fit.
My questions to you are:
1) Has the City funding of BHCC pool hours stopped?
2) If not, then why are the hours being reduced?
3) Can we restore hours for the months of September and October?
4) Can we keep Aqua Fit at BHCC on a year-round basis?
This pool is a community resource, not a private club. We want this pool to remain open while the weather is hot, residents are still using this pool. The Belle Haven community values this pool and this reduction of hours is upsetting many residents.
Appreciate your responses.
Thank you,
Meredith Rohr
Belle Haven Resident
