FAQs
Who
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Everyone! The modern, outdoor facility and innovative design allows for year-round, concurrent use by both students and community members.
From warm-water beginner swim instruction, to wellness and rehabilitation, to CIF-sanctioned competitions, to high-level student and adult athletic training, the future two-pool community aquatics complex will bring accessible, affordable, public swim to the entire Valley.
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At least one pool will remain accessible to the public even during school hours, while also ensuring a safe, secure environment for students.
During school hours, public access to the complex will be limited to the entrance off Refugio Road. A secured rolling gate will separate the two pools, ensuring that Santa Ynez High School students remain within a designated area and do not interact with the general public. Separate, dedicated community restrooms and changing rooms will also be available for public use during school hours.
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The Foundation is currently collaborating with the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, the cities of Buellton and Solvang, and the County of Santa Barbara to establish a Joint Use Agreement that will detail the ongoing operations and maintenance responsibilities. There are a number of existing Joint Use Agreements between school districts and cities in California. A general, draft outline of financial responsibilities is as follows:
District Responsibility: The District shall be responsible for structural maintenance, utilities, pool systems (including water quality), and compliance with applicable health and safety codes.
Shared Costs: Operating costs, including custodial services, lifeguards (unless provided by the user), and minor repairs shall be shared by the Parties according to a cost-sharing formula to be agreed upon annually.
Capital Improvements: Any improvements must be approved by all Parties. Cost-sharing of such improvements shall be addressed in a separate agreement or addendum.
As noted above, the state-of-the-art Myrtha pool technology offers lower operational and maintenance costs compared to traditional concrete pools—like the one currently in use at the high school—thanks to its reduced maintenance needs, fewer repairs, energy efficiency and greater overall efficiency.
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There are a number of existing Joint Use Agreements between school districts and cities in California. A Joint Use Committee will at a minimum include a School District Board Member, City Councilmembers, and Foundation Board Member plus staff. The purpose of the Joint Use Committee is to act as a practical forum for the complex partners to discuss and determine larger issues relating to the overall operation of the complex. Any documents or policies that are discussed by the Joint Use Committee would need to come back to the full Boards and City Council for approval. Examples of possible Joint Use Committee agenda items could be: Facility Rental Application details and fee schedules, replacements/repairs/upgrades outside of normal maintenance, etc.
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At this stage of our fundraising efforts, we are focused on securing six- and seven-figure contributions from both public and private sources—including local foundations, government agencies, and individual donors.
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The aquatics complex will serve residents of the Santa Ynez and Los Alamos Valleys, as well as surrounding communities—from the Gaviota Coast to the unincorporated areas of the Santa Ynez Valley.
WhAT
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The new community aquatics complex will have two Myrtha pools: a warm 25-yard pool for fun, lessons, and fitness, and a 33-meter pool for swim meets, water polo, and diving.
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There are a number of existing Joint Use Agreements between school districts and cities in California. A Joint Use Committee will at a minimum include a School District Board Member, City Councilmembers, and Foundation Board Member plus staff. The purpose of the Joint Use Committee is to act as a practical forum for the complex partners to discuss and determine larger issues relating to the overall operation of the complex. Any documents or policies that are discussed by the Joint Use Committee would need to come back to the full Boards and City Council for approval. Examples of possible Joint Use Committee agenda items could be: Facility Rental Application details and fee schedules, replacements/repairs/upgrades outside of normal maintenance, etc.
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Yes. The Foundation is working in partnership with the Cities of Buellton and Solvang to ensure that transportation is available to community members. Transportation options will be coordinated to align with designated public swim times for maximum accessibility.
When
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Our goal is to have the pool open to the community by Summer 2028.
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We anticipate construction will begin sometime in 2027 once full funding is secured and building permits are secured. Our fundraising goal target date is December 2026.
Where
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The new two-pool complex will be situated on the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School campus, featuring a convenient public entrance on N. Refugio Road that will remain accessible during school hours.
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Funding for the $13.7 million Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Complex will come from a combination of public and private sources. The Foundation is leading a community-wide fundraising effort to cover construction costs and the first two years of operations. To date, more than $4.5 million has been secured, including a $1 million matching gift from an anonymous donor, $450,000 each from the Cities of Solvang and Buellton, and $350,000 from the Ann Jackson Family Foundation.
Why
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The Santa Ynez Valley has the lowest access to public aquatics programs in Santa Barbara County, creating significant gaps in fitness, wellness, and water safety opportunities for all ages.
For decades, the high school pool served as the community’s only public aquatic facility – but only in the summer months when school was not in session – providing a place for swim lessons, recreation, and team sports. When the pool closed to the public due to its deteriorating condition, the entire Valley lost access to the water-based activities that are essential for maintaining physical health, ensuring safety, and building community connections.
Seniors and veterans miss the low-impact exercise critical for wellness and rehabilitation. Families, particularly those with young children, are forced to drive to the nearest public pools in Lompoc or Santa Maria to learn how to swim. Underserved families face barriers in accessing affordable swim programs, leaving their children at risk in aquatic environments – drowning is a leading cause of death for children aged 1-14.
The new Community Aquatics Complex will address these challenges and provide essential services and programming — allowing all residents to participate in affordable, safe, beneficial water activities close in their own community.
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The current pool at Santa Ynez High School was built in 1965 as a generous gift from SYV Youth Recreation. Now 60 years old, the facility has exceeded its intended lifespan and requires significant renovations. In addition to its age, the pool does not meet CIF regulations, which prevents student-athletes from hosting official competitions on their own campus. As a result, “home games” must be held in rented neighboring facilities in cities like Santa Maria.
Last season, the SYHS girls water polo team was forced to travel to Fresno for a CIF Finals match that should have been held at home. They ultimately lost by a single point. SYHS Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Sheehan believes that had the team played on their home turf, the outcome may have been different. A new, competition pool would not only ensure student-athletes can compete at home, but also strengthen school spirit, reduce travel burdens, and foster a greater sense of community pride.
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The Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Foundation (SYVCAF) was established in 2014 to promote aquatics programming and opportunities throughout the Santa Ynez Valley. During its initial phase, the Board explored potential locations for a community complex.
Thanks to early support from generous donors—including the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, SYV Youth Recreation, a major anonymous contribution, and numerous community members—the Foundation was able to purchase two Myrtha Pools in 2017. Originally used for the 2016 Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, NE, these stainless steel modular pool components are now securely stored on the Santa Ynez High School campus and will be installed once fundraising is complete.
From 2017 to 2019, the Foundation, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, and the City of Buellton jointly developed and approved the first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to pursue a $6 million Proposition 68 grant.
After the grant was ultimately unsuccessful, fundraising efforts were paused in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the collaborative framework between the three entities remained in place and became the foundation for a second MOU.
In 2023, the Foundation and the High School District approved an updated MOU. During a stakeholder meeting that year, it was recommended that the Foundation engage professional fundraising counsel. The Foundation ultimately hired The Kellogg Organization based on their successful leadership of the Solvang Theaterfest “Imagine” campaign. Fundraising resumed shortly after, and a readiness assessment confirmed that a campaign to fund a state-of-the-art, two-pool community aquatics complex was both realistic and achievable.
An ambitious—but attainable—timeline was set to raise $13.7 million by December 2026.
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There are essentially two main ways to build a pool of the type being considered: traditional concrete, or a Myrtha-type modular system. Virtually all modern competition pools use a Myrtha or similar system.
The opening months of the effort to build an aquatics complex coincided with the 2016 US Olympic swimming trials in Omaha. The trials used pools built by Myrtha, temporarily installed in a large arena. The Myrtha practice pool was L-shaped; essentially a 50-meter lap pool connected to a 25-yard warm-up pool. This paralleled exactly the two types of pools originally envisioned for the Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Complex. Myrtha planned to sell the pool components at the end of the Olympic trials, at a steep discount.
The group researched the attributes of a concrete pool compared to a Myrtha pool, with a focus on construction costs along with long-term operations and maintenance costs. Members of the group, including a civil engineer, toured the Myrtha pool in Omaha to see how it was constructed. Members of the group also visited a newly installed Myrtha two-pool complex at the Kings Canyon Unified School District in Reedley, California.
The Reedley school district shared their formal, comprehensive analysis of construction costs (Myrtha vs concrete) and maintenance costs. The analysis showed very clear cost savings, both short term and long term, using the Myrtha system. The numbers in the analysis showed annual maintenance costs for the new, much larger two-pool complex would be less than the costs being paid by SYVUHSD for the aging small pool currently on the campus.
Based on cost and practical concerns, in consultation with the school district, the group agreed to move forward with a plan to purchase the discounted Myrtha system after the Olympic trials. Myrtha agreed to fully warrant the pool after its disassembly in Omaha.
Unlike conventional concrete pools, Myrtha Pools use a modular, stainless steel panel system with a proprietary PVC laminate. This not only reduces material waste significantly but also lowers the carbon footprint of production and installation. Stainless steel is 100% recyclable, meaning Myrtha pools can be fully repurposed at the end of their long lifespan—something concrete simply can’t match.
Water conservation is another crucial advantage. Myrtha’s precision-engineered designs minimize leakage risks, and their state-of-the-art filtration systems reduce water and chemical consumption compared to traditional setups. With less maintenance and longer durability, analysis showed facilities that choose Myrtha experience reduced operational costs and energy use over time.
Other Myrtha pools in southern and central California have been installed at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and high schools in Glendale, Edgewood, San Juan Capistrano, San Jacinto, Long Beach, Westlake Village, and others.
The components for the Myrtha pools are currently securely stored on the campus of Santa Ynez High School. The Aquatics Foundation is in contact with several contractors who have experience installing Myrtha pools.
Myrtha has re-iterated their commitment to help our community install a first-class pool complex that will meet our residents’ needs. They actively and continuously work with us to ensure our evolving designs will incorporate the components that we already have on hand.
how
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$13.7 Million
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At this stage of our fundraising efforts, we are focused on securing six- and seven-figure contributions from both public and private sources—including local foundations, government agencies, and individual donors.
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Programming at the SYV Community Aquatics Complex will be overseen by a collaborative advisory body that includes the Santa Ynez High School District, SYV Community Aquatics Foundation, the City of Buellton Recreation Department, and other potential aquatics partners.
School Use: The SYHS District will have first priority to schedule PE classes, team practices, and competitions, including end-of-season competitions.
Community Use: The City of Buellton Parks & Recreation Department will manage and coordinate public programming (lessons, lap swim, etc.) through their website to ensure access for all ages and abilities.
Joint Use Agreement: Roles and responsibilities for each partner will be clearly defined in a formal joint use agreement, similar to existing agreements between the City and local school districts.
Sustainable Programming Model Highlights:
All user groups will pay fees, with affordable options available for community members.
Event fees will vary depending on the type of organization (non-profit, for-profit, etc.).
Additional funding (e.g., business sponsorships, grants) will help subsidize programming.
A lifeguard consortium may be created, potentially involving local high school students via Allan Hancock Community College courses.
All complex users must carry appropriate insurance.
An on-site coordinator will manage daily operations during community programming hours.
The District will handle maintenance, with programming fees potentially helping offset those costs, as defined in the future MOU.
In short, programming will be community-driven, inclusive, and structured for long-term sustainability through partnerships, shared responsibilities, and diversified funding.
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The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District and the Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Foundation outlines a collaborative agreement for the design, construction, operation, and management of the new Community Aquatics Center located on the SYHS campus.
Key Highlights:
Facility Construction & Ownership
The Foundation is responsible for fundraising, designing, and constructing the aquatics center, including all costs and permitting.
Once construction is complete and certified, ownership of the facility will be transferred to the District.
Use & Scheduling
The District has priority use of the facility for PE classes, athletics, and competitions.
Community use will be managed by the Foundation, with a separate agreement outlining hours, staffing, and responsibilities.
Community Access
The Foundation will oversee programming and ensure affordable, inclusive access, with a focus on underserved populations.
A master schedule will be developed jointly and reviewed quarterly to balance school and community needs.
Operations & Staffing
The Foundation will fund, staff, and insure the facility during public use hours.
If the Foundation cannot support public operations, the District is not obligated to cover costs, though it may choose to do so and be reimbursed.
Insurance & Liability
Both parties must carry appropriate insurance and agree to indemnify each other based on responsibility.
Review & Accountability
The District and Foundation will conduct annual reviews of fees, operations, and any concerns, with corrective plans required for any unresolved issues.
Shared CommitmentThe MOU reinforces a shared vision to create a sustainable, accessible aquatics facility that serves both students and the broader community.