Dear WeHo,
I’m writing to vent a bit about the new West Hollywood aquatic center. I have been using the public pool at west hollywood for years and never really had major issues at the old facility. The staff is always great and I’m grateful for all they do however my issue is with the supervisors and lack of consistency. I was extremely excited to get back in the water this time around and understand that things are a little different since covid but this new registration system is so hard to navigate. I’ve tried making reservations for lap swim however the reservations are never posted when they tell you it will be up. For one they have such a broad window. I believe the signage states that reservations will be posted between Wednesday 9 pm and Thursday 9 am and even then they have not been posted on time for the last few weeks. Do they really expect you to sit there for 12 + hours checking every couple of minutes until they go live? That’s just absurd. The water fitness class is another headache. There are so many of us that can’t seem to figure it out that the staff at the front are now being forced to take reservations in person and just allow everyone in but only after harassing you about doing it on line or telling you to add yourself to a wait list that doesn’t even exist. It’s becoming extremely frustrating.
Don’t get me wrong the facility is gorgeous but there are a lot of things that the city just seems to have overlooked when building this new pool. I feel like the city was trying to compete too much with all of the hotel rooftop pools in the area and forgot that this is a community pool instead. The locker rooms are tiny, not to mention on a completely different floor, some of the Showers are already taped off and need to be repaired, there is no direct access to the parking lot, And i’ve heard from the staff that there have been issues with the pool already leaking. How can the city have spent so much money and already have this laundry list of things wrong with the place.
I have spoken to the two supervisors there Cortez and Kim and have brought up many of these issues and always just get told that they are working on getting it fixed but nothing seems to change. I was also disappointed with the city hiring Kim as a new supervisor since I just found out that she is an extremely religious person that constantly posts on an instagram page @kphdm_official. Just recently there was a post about the supreme court’s ruling to overturn Roe v Wade and how it was a ” huge win for the kingdom of god”. I just don’t understand how someone can work for such a liberal city and have such a closed mindset. I really hope that working for our beautiful city can make her change her mind on things like a woman’s right to choose.
I do understand that the facility is still in a “soft opening” stage but the city has to do so much better. I really hope that they can fix a lot of these issues and that we can fully enjoy the beautiful pool.
Thanks,
Pam
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It’s a pool. It’s not that deep! Or is it 🙂 ?Anyway, the website isn’t great and the rest is fine – they weren’t aiming for Team USA to practice there. They can work out the kinks. And judging someone that works at the Aquatic Center’s personal beliefs is no different than when conservatives judge our city. And why did Wehoville post this piece with this woman’s personal IG?? Not cool. She didn’t even do anything.
Pam,
Your judging of Kim based on an Instagram post that shows she is religious and supports a supreme court decision is very ignorant. I am not religious and disagree with Kim’s view, but in no way should that affect her ability to work at the aquatic center. That type of thinking typically exhibited by our friends that tend to be republican is exactly what is wrong with America today. We don’t have to agree on everything, but we don’t have to hate each other either.
The problem is not the staff at the pool. The problem is the website which needs a complete redo. The city of West Hollywood and all the parks need to hire an APP person so that all reservations can be navigated where you can pay for it , cancel the reservation need be . The city also needs to charge people who don’t show up if they did not cancel the reservation within 24 hours. If this was done on an APP in 2022 it would work in a efficient way. Instead the burden of the reservations and the poor… Read more »
As a web programmer, I agree with you. I also know that it takes time to work kinks out. Not that they haven’t had enough time. I reserved a slot, 3 or so weeks ago. I had to e-mail City staff to even know where to do it. When I couldn’t make my time, I sent them a separate e-mail about canceling, not wanting to take a slot from someone else. Because there was no “cancel” link. No response.
They will work this out, I hope. In due time.
Someone’s personal views, should have nothing to do with their hiring, or job. Just because the city is ultra-liberal, as am I, does not mean that I expect every employee to adhere to my belief system. The technical issues with the website, I’m sure can be resolved. The structure of the locker rooms, I have yet to see. I am sure I will probably be just as critical. But what do we expect to do now? Tear it down and rebuild it? I am more concerned about the ADA requirements, in a previous letter that was posted. And I believe… Read more »
Hi Pam, Is there a reason that you are personally attacking two people of color that are running an Aquatics Center? Do you understand the historical significance of two African Americans running an Aquatic Center?! Do understand that City values diversity? Do you value diversity? Have you compared the City’s fees for swimming at the new Aquatic Center to other cities fees? How are Kim’s personal beliefs any of your business? Do you have an problem with people of color? You seem to be passing blame for all of the issues with the facility on two the supervisors… Why? Do… Read more »
Tyler, you seem to be a truly awful person. The letter writer didn’t mention anything about anyone’s race. If they are rude to her, regardless of their race, do you think they should be rewarded for that? Should people of races other than yours, be allowed to be rude just for the sake of “diversity”? Wow, a new level of stupidity. Whatever anyone posts in their private life, as long as it isn’t threatening, is none of your business. It’s not a requirement to work for the city, to believe in everything you believe in. I personally believe abortion is… Read more »
In defense of Tyler, I have no idea WHAT you’re talking about! Tyler clearly knows something about who runs the center, and Pam’s criticism has nothing to do with how they do their jobs.
Do you think that the author of this comment took a long look at her subject mater to make sure she chose two people of color? I’d like to see a hands up on this question.
No. Many in our community have endeavored to find fault with every nuance and create a false sense of being offended. Next will we be questioning the direction the actual wind blows on a given day? If one looks for trouble they will find it.
HUH?! What’s your point? I have no clue.
Wow, I read Pam’s letter in the English language in which it was written and found no attack on either of the supervisors for the design and operational issues that she criticized. She merely asked them questions about potential fixes. This was a really deep dig to find outrage and the multiple rhetorical questions follow no logical thread other than to dramatize the desperate reach for faux outrage. That said, I agree that Kim’s personal life is her business.
Just so you know , it’s not a gift , its our money .
I don’t see how scheduling kinks and small locker rooms mean that the pool is “all washed up”. Remember how dingy and dark the old facility was? The locker rooms were way too large, although I liked how I could create space between me and others and their behavior. The smaller locker rooms probably cater to the swim team and their shenanigans. Don’t worry about leaks and such, that’s the facilities person’s task. Focus on the positive aspects and try to enjoy it. Many people in this country aren’t nearly as lucky as us.
Weho Mary always appears to be advocating for the city’s excellence which perhaps may be his/her/their point of view while not particularly well travelled or a former resident of locations that were well run. Weho has amateur standards and crude behavior while believing they are world class. Not a pretty picture.
Haha! Is this my Pelli fanatic friend? How have you been?
While not a “Pelli fanatic” his work is to be respected. The WEHO Park complex appears far inferior to the PDC regardless of varied taste levels.
I would love to make a model of the PDC for you, you could worship it whenever the mood strikes you. Spoiler alert: It’s actually a cake!
Pettiness seems a crude, unsophisticated way to reject legitimate ideas.
Exactly. I heard that the 24 hour fitness in Hollywood is re-opened. There’s a pool there. And there’s a pool at Wilcox.
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Pam, I am a long time resident of this liberal city too. If Kim is wearing T-shirts with her Bible thumping phrases to work or has refused service to ARC patrons due to her religious beliefs that would be a problem. But Kim’s Instagram account is her’s and NOT YOUR F-CKING BUSINESS. Stop reading it. You are just as bad as the damn MAGAs.
It’s always fascinating that a place the shouts how accepting and open minded and welcoming to all and everybody it is is quite the opposite i.e. what something purports itself to be, it is usually the oppostive since it needs to shout about it so much. People should be able to wear Bible verses, MAGA hats, and also the opposite and feel welcome in a place that says it is open and accepting to everyone. Like Duh.
Is Kim doing her job? That’s all you need to be concerned about.
How about a little tolerance for ideologies that are different than yours? Appreciate the diversity she brings.
Incidentally, the Roe v. Wade decision was not intended to end abortion. It put the issue in the hands of the states where it should have been in the first place. I don’t know why that is so hard to understand.
No. The decision to end a pregnancy should be between the pregnant person and their physician. Not the bought and paid yeehaws in most state capitals.
I’m not talking about “shoulds”. I’m talking about what is in the Constitution and its limits. There is nothing in the federal constitution that can be twisted to have any say in certain issues, but it clearly delineates what is left to the states to decide, and this is one.
$100 Mollion for this facility and it is being operated by West Hollywood City incompetent overpaid privileged bureaucrats! Probably overlooked by the lonesome SHE – Shyne, Horvath and Erickson. West Hollywood resident should have privilege on using any of these facilities. The city is not some welfare organization. Which of course goes against everything Sepi Shyne pitches. Who everyone will recall was sworn in by a Democrat party official who is now being investigated.
No. The current tab is over$220,000,000. Where is the outrage? At least where is the audit. How many millionaires were created with this project that is B+ at best. Saturday my husband and I got there at 11:30 and the 3 million dollar stairway that goes up to the aquatic center was closed at the top. Didn’t ask why but the gate was across the walkway. Is the stairway only going to be used on special occasions, safer apps? The opening day of the park? Was it closed because it’s a danger to people going up and down the stairs… Read more »
“The locker rooms are tiny, not to mention on a completely different floor”
This is the biggest issue in my eyes. Maybe it’s because the locker rooms were so spacious at the old pool? But yeah I agree these new ones are TINY 🙁
I think they will work the kinks out with the reservation system eventually. They’re using the same system that Culver City uses without much issue.
I think the tiny inconvenient locker rooms are designed to encourage the use of the on-deck changing rooms and cubby storage. Management needs to educate patrons and publicize this change to the traditional locker room setup. But I still want to lock up my phone, etc.
I think the tiny lockers rooms are designed to create a bathhouse atmosphere. Or maybe smaller ones allowed them to make them more “luxe”.
gross
Remember when you thought homeless people just hangout at the pool all day?
Do you even live here?