School district rejects all bids for pool

Angelique Flores

The Huntington Beach High School Foundation has hit another wall in

its efforts to build an aquatics facility on campus.

The Huntington Beach Union High School District voted Tuesday to

reject all bids received for the project because the figures were too

high.

“It’s really, really upsetting,” said Sylvia Garrett, president of the

Huntington Beach High School Foundation.

For five years, the foundation and the Take the Plunge Campaign have

jumped through hoops to get the project off its feet and raise the

necessary funding.

The expected cost of the project has swelled 25% over the last two

years, reaching $1.8 million a few months ago. The project’s cost leaped

yet again and is estimated at $2.3 million.

Now, the school is $500,000 short.

To keep the project moving, the district removed a half-million

dollars worth of work -- including lights and the diving boards -- that

could be added as the money becomes available.

The district has already gone out to bid for the project with the

adjustments, said trustee Michael Simons. Officials still hope to break

ground by June in time to have the pool built by the fall.

A large part of the jointly funded project’s finances come from the

high school foundation and the district. The city will contribute an

estimated $601,000 with state money from Proposition 12 expected to

arrive April 1.

The foundation is looking for donations from private individuals and

corporations to help fill the gap in the coffers.

Anyone interested in donating can call Garrett at (714) 861-1239.