What’s Happening at Menlo Swim & Sport?

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Menlo Park Aquatics: What’s Happening with Our Pools?

– Menlo Park pools are operated by Menlo Swim & Sport: A 20-year community partnership

Background

Menlo Swim and Sport (MSS), operated by Team Sheeper, has served the Menlo Park community since 2006 managing Burgess Pool, and beginning in 2011, Belle Haven Pool. In 2023, anticipating the reopening of the new aquatic facility at Belle Haven, MSS entered a new five-year agreement with the City to run both pools year-round.

The Challenge

Empty Facility: Opened May 2024 after major renovations, Belle Haven Pool averages fewer than 4 swimmers per hour of operation, yet MSS is must staff 63 open hours per week year-round.
High Costs: Staffing, safety compliance, and utilities are fixed costs—whether there are 60 swimmers per hour or 4.
Mounting Losses: MSS lost $65K in 2024 and has a 2025 loss of $210K (through May 31).
Burgess Pool Can’t Fully Offset Costs of Belle Haven: Reduced 2025 revenue for historically popular programs at Burgess—likely connected to economic uncertainty—has compromised the ability to subsidize Belle Haven operations for the minimum 63 hours per week year-round.

What We’ve Previously Proposed to the City

To stabilize our company and continue serving the community, in collaboration with City staff and the Parks & Rec Commission, MSS has already proposed the following to City Council:

✅ Raise non-resident user fees (approved)

❌ Raise resident fees & group lane rental fees (denied)

❌ Extend the suspension of the City’s revenue share through the end of 2025 (denied)

❌ Seasonally adjust open hours at Belle Haven Pool to match demand (denied)

The City’s Suggestions

Hang banners with pool hours
Increase local neighborhood outreach
Raise non-resident fees further

These suggestions, while well-intentioned and can certainly be acted upon, will neither materially reduce costs, nor quickly raise revenue, leaving the core financial issue of sustainability unresolved.

Our Next Proposal to the City

We’re committed to serving the Menlo Park aquatics community—that’s at the heart of what we do. We’re working on a new proposal for the City that we hope will address concerns about access and affordability, while also helping Menlo Swim and Sport keep both pool facilities running smoothly.

We’re asking the City to subsidize two specific programs at Belle Haven Pool:

Allow us to adjust pool hours to better match current community demand—63+ hours per week during the summer, and 54 hours per week the rest of the year.
Provide free open swim and free lap swim year-round for hyperlocal residents at the Belle Haven pool.

We’re excited about these ideas and believe they reflect what matters most to the Belle Haven community and the City Council. We look forward to the opportunity to discuss them with the City and community.

What’s at Risk if No Action is Taken?

Service Cuts: To help stem losses, MSS briefly reduced Burgess Pool hours from late May until the start of the summer session. Without concessions from the City, after the 2025 summer session ends, MSS will need to return to reduced hours at Burgess to manage costs – dropping from 93 hours/week to the contractual minimum of 63 hours/week at both pools.
Staff Impact: Over 300 employees, many local—including more than 100 seasonal hires from Menlo-Atherton High—could be affected.
Long-Term Partnership: Continued losses may force MSS to exit before the 2028 contract end date.

For further data and details about Menlo Park’ current aquatics operations, we invite you to review our 2024 annual report to the City. (See the summary on pages 3-7.)

What We’re Asking From You

🔹 Advocate: Contact Council members Taylor, Nash, Wise and voice support for sustainable pool operations.

🔹 Support: Share feedback with the City in public comment at City meetings – Parks and Recreation Commission meetings (June 25) and City Council meetings (June 10 & 24, July 8).

🔹 Engage: Join fellow aquatics community members to create solutions and take action to help resolve the current aquatics challenges.