Seward Council to decide fate of pool that trained Olympic gold medalist

The Seward City Council will hold a work session regarding operation of the high school pool at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, before its regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. The city posted the full agenda packet online May 20, giving residents a chance to review details and prepare testimony on whether the facility stays open.

The pool is where Lydia Jacoby trained before winning Olympic gold in the 100-meter breaststroke at the 2020 Tokyo Games. She was 17 and still swimming for Seward High School when she became the first Alaskan to win Olympic gold in swimming.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District announced plans earlier this year to close all district-operated pools, including Seward's, without new funding or operational arrangements. That decision prompted negotiations between the district and the City of Seward over whether the city could take on municipal support to keep the pool open.

The council discussed pool operations at its April 13 meeting. The dedicated work session signals the city is actively deliberating next steps.

The pool currently operates on a published schedule that includes early morning lap swim, midday open swim, and Parent/Tot sessions. Community groups connected to competitive and youth swimming have urged residents to participate in school board and city meetings because the decisions could determine whether the pool and related staffing continue.

Residents who want to comment on the pool or other agenda items can review the full packet on the city's website. The meeting is being held on a Tuesday because the usual Monday fell on a holiday.