STOCKTON — A south-side swimming pool that serves one of Stockton’s most economically disadvantaged neighborhoods will be closed all summer because of vandalism to the city-owned facility.

John Abrew, Stockton’s deputy director of public works, says vandals inflicted severe damage during the swimming offseason to the McKinley Park pool’s electrical and mechanical systems. The culprits are presumed to have been copper thieves, Abrew said.

“At this point we’re planning for it to be closed for the swimming year,” Abrew said Monday afternoon.

The McKinley Park pool, at Eighth and El Dorado streets, is one of seven public pools owned by the city. McKinley has provided a refuge from scorching summertime temperatures for children and other neighborhood residents.

In addition to McKinley, city officials say the Victory Park pool remains badly in need of refurbishment or replacement and will be closed for a third consecutive year.

The Sherwood and Holiday pools, owned by the city and operated by homeowner associations, will be open as planned this summer. So will the city’s Oak Park, Sousa Park and Brooking Park pools.

City officials say the latter three pools need $90,000 in repairs so they can open as scheduled on Memorial Day weekend. Staff is recommending City Council approve allocating funding for those repairs at tonight’s meeting at City Hall.

As for McKinley, Abrew said, “There were several instances of severe vandalism during last fall and winter. (A cost estimate) is something we’re still working out. … We’re currently studying what the extent of the damage is.”

Mayor Anthony Silva, a former swimming and water polo coach, expressed frustration.

“That doesn’t sit well with me,” Silva said. “The fact that both McKinley and Victory Park pool will not be open this summer is unacceptable.

“Thousands of children and families in our city do not have access to backyard swimming pools or private club swimming pools so it is extremely important that we find a way to fix these public pools and keep them maintained and operational.”

Franklin High School’s pool is expected to be open to the public during the summer, Stockton Unified spokeswoman Dianne Barth said. The indoor pool at Edison High, which is near McKinley, will be unavailable because of ongoing construction on the campus, Silva said.

Two years ago, an anonymous Stockton resident donated nearly $25,000 to give children safer access to the McKinley pool. The donation came after The Record reported that children were sneaking through a hole in a fence and using the pool when it was closed.

The large donation, as well as smaller contributions, also allowed the YMCA — which operates the pool for the city — to increase the facility’s hours and pay for lifeguards in 2014.

Stockton’s long-range plan for swimming facilities is murky. A total of only $149,000 is allocated for pools in the city’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan.

Gordon MacKay, Stockton’s public works director, said earlier this month that even the city pools that are operational would benefit from significant renovations.

“We could certainly figure out what would be needed to repair seven pools,” MacKay said. “It would be millions of dollars.”

— Contact reporter Roger Phillips at (209) 546-8299 or rphillips@recordnet.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/phillipsblog and on Twitter @rphillipsblog.