A new aquatic center in Southern California celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local politicians, but residents say they and their children have been shut out.

One local claimed her children were turned away from the facility in Santa Ana after being told it was “only for VIPs,” according to the Voice of OC.

The opening ceremony for the new $29.3 million Memorial Park Aquatic Center took place on Saturday, Oct. 17 in the Orange County city.

Diana Vargas, a longtime resident of Santa Ana’s Memorial Park neighborhood, told The Voice of OC that her children were excited to swim in the new pool and try out its water slide. But when they arrived for the unveiling, they were turned away and told to return later.

“It’s only for VIPs, and it’s only for certain Washington Elementary kids. You will be able to go in at 1:30 p.m.,” Vargas recalled being told, according to the local news outlet.

“My youngest son goes, ‘Mom, it’s okay, Mom. We could go to the other pool,’” Vargas continued. “I’ve been taking them to other cities and other pools, and the kids are like, ‘It’s okay, Mom. We could go to the other pools–they won’t say anything.’”

While Vargas’ children didn’t get to enjoy the pool that day, elected officials took advantage of the opportunity to pose for photos, some of which were later distributed in press releases.

City Council candidate Giovanni Chavez also posted a video on Instagram featuring Congressman Lou Correa, promoting the new aquatic center as an example of expanded city services.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony and accompanying photo opportunities come just weeks before the November general election.

Despite the October 17 ribbon-cutting ceremony, Santa Ana’s new Memorial Park Aquatic Center has yet to fully open to the public, even though the facility is supposed to offer swimming programs throughout the year, according to The Voice of OC.

The opening has also drawn criticism from artists who say the ceremony was rushed, interfering with efforts to restore a historic Chicano mural at the facility.

Questions remain about when residents will actually be able to use the pools, whether admission will be free and why the city held a grand opening before the facility was ready for public use. 

Some councilmembers told The Voice they were unaware the pools would remain closed following the ceremony. Meanwhile, City Manager Alvaro Nuñez and City Spokesman Paul Eakins have not publicly provided answers about the facility’s opening schedule.

Eakins declined to answer questions over the phone Monday, directing the news outlet to submit its inquiries by email. He did not respond to those questions afterward, and Nuñez also did not respond to a request for comment.

However, in an email to councilmembers obtained by The Voice through Councilman Ben Vazquez, Nuñez acknowledged problems with how the opening was communicated to residents.

“We recognize the importance of clear communication and timely community access. The concerns regarding staff communication, program planning, and delays in activating the aquatic center are under review through the City’s internal personnel process,” Nuñez wrote.

“That review will determine appropriate corrective measures, including disciplinary action if warranted. Our priority remains ensuring that the facility serves the community as intended.”

Vargas, whose children were turned away from the unveiling, believes the ceremony was more about giving politicians an opportunity to take pictures than allowing neighborhood families to enjoy the new facility.

“You go to other cities and they handle this professionally. No special treatment for a certain group. I’m your neighbor, I live down the street, and my kids couldn’t go. That’s disappointing. If they had said it was only for certain groups, they should have said that on their flier, and I wouldn’t have sent my husband with my kids only to have them turned away,” she told The Voice.

Vazquez also criticized the city’s handling of the opening, arguing that children should not have been denied entry and that parents could have completed any necessary paperwork at the facility.

“They should just be open and transparent and say this is what we did. They didn’t see it coming, and part of it was the Emigdio Vasquez mural not being open on the same day, so they were kind of thrown off with that,” he said, referring to the city manager’s office.

Vazquez said the latest information he had received indicated the pools would open in May.

Amezcua, Bacerra and Vazquez are seeking reelection in November, while David Penaloza and Lopez are competing for a seat in the state Assembly.

The California Post reached out to all seven members of the Santa Ana City Council for comment.

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