If you already swim laps at Alga Norte, do you have any reason to drive to Monroe Street now? Under Carlsbad's new aquatic membership you can use both pools on the same pass. The two pools were never designed to be the same, and the renovated Monroe was sized on purpose to stop well short of what Alga Norte offers.
The city set Monroe Street Pool's public reopening for 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. The pool sits at 3401 Monroe St., next to the Carlsbad High School football field. Construction started in March 2025. According to the City of Carlsbad's announcement, the project finished under budget at about $21 million. Voters had authorized up to $24 million, and inflation adjustments could have pushed that close to $27 million.
A 1982 Pool, a 1982 Law, and a Close Vote
Monroe was built in 1982. Carlsbad voters also passed Proposition H that year. Under that law, the city needs voter approval for some construction projects that use more than $1 million in general fund money. The Coast News reports that Proposition H is why the rebuild went on the ballot four decades later.
The ballot measure was Measure J, in November 2022, and it was close. Ballotpedia's certified results show 26,576 votes in favor and 25,291 against. That is 51.24% to 48.76%, a margin of 1,285 votes.
Earlier, in 2020, the city surveyed the public on three options: essential repairs only, modernization without expansion, or a full renovation and expansion. The survey drew 944 respondents. They ranked the largest option highest, even though it cost the most and would take the longest to build. When respondents rated possible improvements, 49% gave a larger pool their top importance rating, and 45% did the same for more lap swimming availability. The city noted that the survey was voluntary and not scientific.
Why Monroe Stopped at 33 Meters
The council approved the design in September 2024, and the size of the pool was the main debate. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that some of the pool's most frequent users asked for 50 meters. Carlsbad High's swim and water polo coach was one of them, and the school is one of the pool's biggest users. Several high school swimmers agreed with him.
The city's answer was a 33-meter pool. City officials said that is 50% larger than the old 25-meter pool and the largest the site can reasonably hold. Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Lancaster told the Union-Tribune that a bigger pool would take space from parking and solar panels and would make noise and evening lighting worse for nearby homes. He also said it would add at least a year of delay. Operating and maintenance costs were already estimated to rise by $370,000 a year with the 33-meter design.
Mayor Keith Blackburn had his own reason for not delaying a project the city had been planning since at least 2015:
"What we are getting is pretty darn good."
That quote comes from the Union-Tribune's coverage.
As approved, the rebuilt pool has 15 swim lanes, up from nine. Neighbors were part of the design too. An 8-foot wall with metal gates now runs along Monroe Street to reduce noise. The project also replaced the solar water heating system and added rooftop solar panels for electricity.
The Two Pools, Side by Side
Monroe's limits matter less now because Alga Norte already covers what Monroe doesn't. Alga Norte opened in 2014 at Alga Norte Community Park and is the only other city aquatics center.
| Monroe Street Pool | Alga Norte Aquatic Center | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 3401 Monroe St. | 6565 Alicante Road |
| Main pool | 33 meters, 15 lanes | 56-meter competition pool |
| Second pool | None | 25-yard, 12-lane instruction pool |
| Extras | Deck lockers, outdoor showers, family restrooms, more shade and bleachers | Warm-water adult spa, 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards, splash pad, fitness room |
| Weekday hours | 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. | 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Weekend hours | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 5 p.m. in summer |
| Maintenance closure | Tuesday and Thursday, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. | Monday and Friday, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. |
The hours are the same, but the maintenance closures fall on different days and at different times. Monroe closes mid-morning on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Alga Norte closes early on Mondays and Fridays. With one membership, there is always a city pool open during the other one's maintenance hour.
Alga Norte's calendar is also busier with organized groups. On the city's November calendar, the competition pool has Masters, SDACWP and Carlsbad Water Polo time blocks. The instruction pool has Seaside and swimming lessons. Monroe also added an outdoor entrance that skips the locker rooms, plus a redesigned lobby and a small meeting room.
Family Swim Works Differently at Each Pool
Parents should know before heading out that the two pools have different recreation-swim rules. At Alga Norte, recreation swim is held only in the instruction pool. At Monroe, parents must be in the water and within arm's reach of any child under 8. Inflatables, floaties, rafts, mermaid tails and water wings are not allowed there. Only U.S. Coast Guard-approved life vests are permitted, and Monroe has vests you can use for the day.
Some rules apply at both pools. An adult must be in the water with children under 8. One child under 3 gets in free with a paying adult. Swimmers have to show a lifeguard they can swim before using deep water. Lap swimmers are asked to share lanes, and no one is guaranteed a lane to themselves.
What the Single Pass Costs
With Monroe's reopening, the city has combined its pool memberships. You no longer buy separate passes for each facility. One membership covers both. These are the rates on the city's aquatics fee sheet:
| Membership | Monthly | Quarterly |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $40.00 | $116.00 |
| Family | $62.00 | $174.00 |
| Additional member | $20.00 | $44.00 |
| Masters Swim | $70.00 | $196.00 |
| Masters Swim add-on | $45.00 | $135.00 |
Drop-in visits cost $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for youth. Aquatic fitness and Masters Swim drop-ins are $7.00 each, and a spectator is $2.00. Residents get a 10% discount on memberships. The city says these are its first aquatic fee updates in more than 10 years.
How you sign up depends on what you had before:
- Alga Norte monthly or quarterly members don't need to do anything. Your membership now works at both pools.
- Former Monroe passholders can buy the new combined pass online through the city's registration site or in person.
- Drop-in swimmers buy day passes in person, since they aren't sold online.
Planning Your First Visit
The city's pool use calendars page has monthly schedules for both facilities. Check it before you go, since club practices, lessons and lane rentals change how much water is open to the public at any hour. The city has said a few areas at Monroe may still have work going on after reopening, but it doesn't expect that to affect use of the facility.
At the Oct. 29 ribbon-cutting, City Manager Geoff Patnoe told The Coast News that Monroe "will continue to provide a place for people of all ages to swim, learn and stay active for years to come." The new design shows how the city divided the work. Monroe has more lanes and stricter family-swim rules. Alga Norte keeps the 56-meter pool, the diving boards and the splash pad. For more on the renovation itself, see the city's Monroe Street Pool improvements page.
How close you live to a pool, a trailhead or a school field shapes your week. If you're weighing a move within Carlsbad and want to talk through how different parts of town fit your daily routine, Pagni Real Estate is glad to help. Schedule a free consultation with Chad or Yo.
