Renovations for the Frances Albrier Community Center, including a new pool at San Pablo Park, were included as as a major priority when voters approved Measure T1, but now residents of West Berkeley are feeling left behind and disinvested once more. On December 15th, 2020, the City Council approved Phase 2 project funding from Measure T1, which did not include funding for Frances Albrier. Project planning funded under Phase 1 found significant enthusiasm in the community for building upgrades and a new pool at San Pablo Park.

Multiple designs for the Frances Albrier project were developed with T1 funding, each involving an expanded facility that includes indoor recreation space, an outdoor community pool, a courtyard, and more indoor space for recreation and community activities. The need for upgrades in the building is already clear, as the City’s own building analysis found seismically unsafe walls, inadequate structural bracing in the roof, dry rot, and noncompliant bathrooms. Berkeley must include funding for this project in its next infrastructure bond measure and in planning for Vision 2050.