Local Mom Wants to Raise Funds for Community Pool in La Crescenta

This story was written by Natalie Rivera.

La Crescenta resident Tiffany Haynes, mother of three, is hoping to bring a community pool to La Crescenta after finding it difficult to commute to other pools for her three children during the summer.

The former lifeguard explained to the Crescenta Valley Town Council on Thursday that she believes it is now time for the area to have its own community pool.

Haynes said that she firmly believes swimming is something almost as crucial as drivers ED and CPR. She requested help to start her project.

“I don’t know the first thing about doing this,” Haynes said. “Any help from the town council would be great.”

Haynes told the council that she plans to apply for grants in order to help pay for the community pool. Haynes also suggested that she start a petition, as long as she has the town council’s approval.

Council member Danette Erickson said that Haynes should look into asking the local Crescenta Valley High School to open its pool during the summer instead of having a pool built.

“When I did have kids, we would go to CV High School’s pool,” Erickson said. “Put a little pressure on the school to open their pool. That’s what we did back then through the PTA meetings. They opened the pool to the public in the afternoons, and in the morning, the coaches would have it open for their kids.”

Haynes, who said that her commute to Tujunga and Altadena for the community pools there is too much of a hassle, believes that though the high school pool would be a good idea, it would not be the best for the community.

When asked where Haynes would like to have the pool, she responded that she did not mind where as long as it was nearby.

“Ideally I would want it in the Crescenta Valley,” Haynes said. “I also heard that there’s a skate park in the works. So how cool would it be if we had a skate park, a dog park and a community pool all in one place.”

Erickson, however, held firm that the best option for the community would be to ask the local high school to open its pool for the summer.

“If you think it’ll be a hard job to get the high school open, than imagine how many years its going to take until they build a pool,” Erickson said.

Haynes responded to this by saying, jokingly, “We did get a dog park, and it did take a long time, and I get that, but maybe my grandkids will be able to swim in it.”