Note: The next Barnes Park Aquatics Center Subcommittee Meeting has been announced for Monday, November 9, 2026.

Our immediate priority: November 13, 2026

SGV Power Up Beacon (SGV PUB) continues advocating for a rebuilt Barnes Park Aquatics Center that meets the needs of our community, including competitive diving.

Following our recent discussions with Councilmember Thomas Wong and our October 25 general meeting, our immediate focus is on Partnership Letters and Funding Commitments requested by the City by November 13, 2026.

This gives us less than three weeks to organize, coordinate, and demonstrate meaningful support for a diving-capable facility.

1. USA Diving — Our Highest Priority

We have established contact with Lee Michaud, President of USA Diving, who has expressed willingness to support our efforts.

Our next steps are:

• Draft a partnership/support letter for USA Diving's review and signature, to be submitted to the City before November 13.
• Assemble a small strategy team to meet virtually with President Michaud and explore possible funding commitments, grants, partnerships, and other resources.
• Identify additional influential divers, Olympians, organizations, and potential funding partners who could support the project. Limei Xiao has offered to help contact former Olympians for signatures and support.

We urgently need volunteers to help with drafting, coordination, research, and outreach.

2. Explaining Why Competitive Diving Matters

We need to better communicate why a properly designed diving facility is important—not just to our athletes, but to the entire San Gabriel Valley.

Arrow Dive Club's national achievements, the accomplishments of our local coaches, and the educational opportunities competitive diving creates are compelling parts of that story.

We plan to develop educational materials for City officials, expand the information on our website, and explain how a diving-capable facility can serve the broader community.

3. Expanding Our Social Media and Community Outreach

One concern raised at our meeting was that many diving families remain unaware of the City's rebuilding plans and the decisions currently being considered.

We want to improve communication through our website, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and short-form videos highlighting our divers and their accomplishments.

• Vivian Tse continues as an advisor helping to develop our social media presence.
• Armina Li will be joining as an advisor to assist Vivian, particularly with newer social media platforms.
• We also welcome Lisa Li and Limei Xiao to our advisory team.

Limei brings exceptional experience as a former member of the Chinese National Diving Team, an international diving judge, a registered USA Diving coach, and a former senior competition official for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2011 World University Games.

We welcome additional volunteers who can help with video production, photography, writing, and sharing information throughout the diving community.

4. Future Community Events and Fundraising

Lisa Li suggested organizing a future Dive-a-Thon or diving exhibition to bring athletes, families, and supporters together, increase community awareness, and potentially raise funds for the project.

Limei Xiao also brings extensive experience in major international sporting events, including serving as Results Technical Manager for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and Deputy Director of the Competition Department for the 2011 World University Games. Her expertise could be especially valuable in planning and coordinating such an event.

These are promising opportunities for community engagement and fundraising, although our immediate attention must remain on the November 13 deadline.

5. How You Can Help Right Now

We particularly need volunteers for:

1. USA Diving coordination: Draft the partnership letter and organize the strategy meeting.
2. Funding research and outreach: Identify potential grants, sponsors, and organizations willing to make commitments.
3. Community communications: Help explain the project to diving families, City officials, and the broader public.
4. Social media and content creation: Help Vivian and Armina produce engaging, shareable content.
5. Olympian and diving-community outreach: Coordinate with Limei and others to seek endorsements, signatures, and additional partnerships.

Our immediate goal is clear: secure strong partnership letters and pursue meaningful funding commitments before November 13.

The diving community has an extraordinary history of achievement. Now we need to translate that strength into organized support for a facility that will serve future generations.

SGV Power Up Beacon (SGV PUB)
https://sgvpub.org