A unisex shower will be installed at the Palm Springs Swim Center next week while city staff works on developing a formal protocol to make sure everyone is welcome in the facility.

The effort is in response to a Dec. 26 incident in which members of the Palm Springs High School girls water polo team entered the shower while it was occupied. KESQ interviewed parents, who said a man scared the teens and called him a "predator."

Palm Springs Police Sgt. Mike Casavan told The Desert Sun nothing illegal occurred and no one was arrested. Authorities said the individual identifies as a woman.

"She was interviewed and is undergoing transition," he said.

In a statement, Palm Springs Unified School District officials said, "Neither the parents nor team members have shared any lingering concerns with school administrators following the incident. For the past month, the girls have been reporting to practices regularly and continuing to use the pool changing area under increased supervision."

The incident underscores concerns that often arise among members of the transgender community. Rarely do they use public showers because they want to avoid harassment, Thomi Clinton, CEO of the Transgender Community Coalition

"They're concerned more about safety," Clinton said as she wondered if the woman thought the shower would be empty.

She added the incident is "a learning experience" and that it should pave the way for more conversation about matters involving the transgender community and other minority groups.

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City Manager David Ready said the new shower will only be a short-term solution while city staff develops "a formal policy and protocol for these situations" at the pool.

"This should not occur again with those immediate steps," Ready said. "We're going to be able to accommodate everyone at the pool."

A unisex shower will be installed by adding portable walls around an existing shower outside the building. It will cost $1,000 to $3,000.

Ready added the showers are about 30 years old and anyone using them has no privacy, so curtains and dividers will be added.

Clinton suggested the city should "find a balance" to avoid creating a sense of segregation at the pool, but she otherwise praised the city's response.

Palm Springs previously adopted a transgender restroom law in July 2016, approving an ordinance to convert all single-stall restrooms in public buildings within the city into gender-neutral family restrooms.

The ordinance was designed to protect transgender men and woman who fear harassment when using public restrooms. It also protects parents with children of a different gender and caretakers of elderly people of a different gender from being harassed while using the restroom.

Desert Sun reporter Colin Atagi covers crime, public safety and road and highway safety. He can be reached at Colin.Atagi@desertsun.com or follow him at @tdscolinatagi

Full statement from Palm Springs Unified School District:

Both the Palm Springs Unified School District and the city of Palm Springs have taken this concern very seriously since it was brought to our attention after it occurred at the end of December, The school's principal and water polo coach reported the matter to law enforcement and the city immediately following the incident. Supt. of Schools Dr. Sandra Lyon responded via e-mail to concerned parents about the District's investigation and potential solutions. Neither the parents nor team members have shared any lingering concerns with school administrators following the incident. For the past month, the girls have been reporting to practices regularly and continuing to use the pool changing area under increased supervision. We appreciate the city's efforts and have been informed that they are working on making modifications to the facility to ensure the privacy of our students.