The cause of the excess chlorine in the Arcadia County Park swimming pool that sent 17 children to the hospital on July 19 was found to be human error. Workers at the pool mistakenly primed the chemical pump twice, allowing up to 20 extra gallons of chlorine into the water.
The Arcadia County Park swimming pool will be closed for the summer, to be demolished and rebuilt at a later date. The pool is 70 years old and officially known as the Norman S. Johnson Aquatic Center. On July 19, a chlorine spill sent 17 children to the hospital. The repairs would cost $80,000, so the County chose to not reopen the pool for the three weeks left of this summer.
A day after the Arcadia County Park was closed for sending people exposed to excess chlorine to the hospital, the pool remained closed yesterday while Los Angeles County supervisors ordered a top-down safety review for all 27 county pools. The Arcadia pool will remain closed until the problem can be fixed to ensure public safety.
Los Angeles County Supervisors are set to approve $8.5 million to build a new pool building, pool and splash pond at Arcadia County Park. Officials recommended hiring Sparano & Mooney Architecture. The firm designed the Arcadia Historical Society Museum.
The new Norman S. Johnson Aquatics Center at Arcadia Community Regional Park (Arcadia County Park) is officially open and was celebrated yesterday by county supervisor Michael Antonovich and other local officials. The nearly $10 million project replaced the old 50-meter pool with a 6,150 s.f. competition swimming pool, and a 6,300 s.f. recreation and therapy pool with an integrated splash pad.
Los Angeles County Supervisors approved an $8.5 million budget to complete a new pool facility at Arcadia County Park by May 2013. Sparano & Mooney Architecture will create initial "scoping" designs that contractors will use to bid on aspects of the project.
Arcadia City Council rejected a proposed draft resolution last week that several argued would give city-designated homeowner associations (HOA) too much power. During a study session, the Council discussed amending and consolidating the five HOAs' development standards, design guidelines and design review procedures into one cohesive document. Some argued the draft would give the associations' Architectural Review Boards (ARB)--which have architectural design review authority over the association area--too much control over the size of homes, setbacks and other issues. ARBs should look favorably on someone's dream home plans "unless it was so garish and outlandish that it might negatively affect property values," said Councilman Bob Harbicht. Opposition from Kevin Tomkins and Laurie Thompson.
Arcadia resident in the 700 block of Camino Grove Avenue finds the body of a stranger in his swimming pool. The dead man is 35-year old Greg Tser-Ming Chen of Arcadia. Foul play was not initially suspected in the death. Chen's dog, a golden retriever, which was not on a leash, was found in the backyard too. Chen leaves behind a wife Maggie, who is pregnant with the couple's second child, and a toddler-aged son. See also Pasadena Star News, p. A3, August 9, 2013.
Santa Anita Park race track attendance is on the upswing. It drew 40,810 on Friday, its biggest opening day turnout since 2011. On-track attendance was up 33% over last year, partly because of the free infield admission program, which drew more than 10,000 people. Total wagering, including bets placed from all over the country, rose nearly 30% to more than $17 million. On-site betting was more than $3.4 million. The City of Arcadia gets 1/3 of 1% of all on-site wagering.
Trouble at Santa Anita Park. According to figures taken from Equibase, Santa Anita Park's total handle was down $77.1 million, or 17.7% from a year ago. If the current trend continues, the track's all-sources handle could show a decline of more than $100 million for the 2010-2011 meet. George Haines, the president of Santa Anita Park, has other troubles, including some wet weather, a players' boycott, and the inconsistencies of a new dirt racing surface.
Public parking, which is becoming increasingly scarce in the downtown area, was given close scrutiny at the May 18, 1976 City Council meeting. Most Council members seemed to favor a parking structure to alleviate the situation. Comparative costs were given.
Officials of local cities have sent off letters to Governor Jerry Brown and the State Department of Housing and Community Development protesting proposed changes in regulations. If enacted, local government would lose much of its autonomy in the planning of local housing.
Trouble continues for a teen music "night club" that opened in December 1977 on First Avenue. Noise, trash, and parking have been problems. Now it is restroom facilities and fire regulations.
John Shear is turning 93 years old. He is celebrated as an everyday hero. He is a Santa Anita Park racetrack worker whose quick response saved a toddler's life on March 12, 2011. He was hurt then, but is surviving.
John Shear, a 90-year-old paddock guard at Santa Anita Park, has been hospitalized for putting himself between a 6-year-old girl and a charging race horse called See and Sage. The girl was not hurt but Shear had several broken bones.
Leon Logothetis, star of Netflix show “The Kindness Diaries” spoke at Holy Angels School in Arcadia on April 12. He said, “Kindness is literally the coolest thing, the most epic thing you can do. How you show up to the world matters. The most beautiful way to make a person feel that they matter is to be kind. And kindness is free.”
Arcadia High School girls' waterpolo against Mayfair. Apaches handily won the Pacific League crown and most recently routed Mayfair 17-0 in the first round of CIF.