Pali’s Board of Trustees approved a $1 million contract with California Commercial Pools on Aug. 19 to begin restoration on the Maggie Gilbert Aquatics Center (MGAC) at the school’s main campus following damage it sustained from the Palisades Fire last January. 

Brooke King, Pali’s Aquatic Director, is overseeing the rebuild.

“[The contractors are] saw-cutting the concrete around the deck to expose the drain system, and once that’s removed, the process will move very quickly,” King said. “We’re looking at a timeline to complete by mid-December.”

King explained that although the repairs won’t introduce new features, the pool will receive a deep clean, resurfacing and new plaster. 

“It’s not an upgrade but a renewal,” she said.

Before the fires, the MGAC was a popular activity center, operating from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The center’s unavailability has highlighted the essential role the pool plays for Pali students and the surrounding community.

Senior and Boys’ water polo captain Sean Ellis explained the difficulty that his team has experienced while operating without the facility. 

“We’ve been practicing at Santa Monica High School every morning at 5:45 am, and once a week at UCLA,” Ellis said. “It’s been a huge adjustment.”

He explained how, during the pool closure, the water polo team practiced nearly every day on campus. 

“Our home games were the best,” Ellis said. “We’d have all our friends and family come watch, and it was an awesome atmosphere. Losing that has been really tough.”

King said that having an aquatic center at Pali is extremely important. 

“Every student should feel comfortable and safe in the water,” King said. “I can’t wait to dive in myself when [the MGAC] is done.”