Los Angeles may soon rename the Highland Park Swimming Pool in honor of Dr. Sammy Lee, the first Asian American to win an Olympic gold medal. On September 17, 2025, LA City Councilmember Isabel Jurado (14th District) said the proposal for the Sammy Lee pool renaming is under review for the facility at 6150 Piedmont Avenue.
Caleb Elguezábal, a staff member at Jurado’s Eagle Rock office, told The Korea Daily that the initiative is being coordinated by the council office and the local neighborhood council. “The neighborhood council is currently in discussions with Dr. Lee’s family about using his name,” he said.
Sammy Lee II, Dr. Lee’s son, confirmed the family is weighing the request. “We are carefully reviewing the proposal as a family,” he said. “A few months ago, we were asked if we would allow the use of my father’s name. We are grateful to the Highland Park community for remembering him and making this suggestion.”
The Highland Park Swimming Pool, operated by the City of Los Angeles, is located within the Highland Park Recreation Center.
This is not the first attempt to rename the facility. In 2022, then-Councilmember Kevin de León sought to dedicate the pool to Dr. Lee while planning renovations. However, the effort stalled.
Steve Kang, chair of the Los Angeles Board of Public Works, explained that although de León’s motion passed the City Council, it lacked funding provisions. “That meant the proposal passed without a budget plan,” Kang said. He noted that many city pools are outdated, with average renovation costs estimated at $30 million per site.
Elguezábal added that funding for repairs at the Highland Park Swimming Pool is still under review by city officials.
If approved, the renaming would make the pool the third Los Angeles facility to honor Dr. Lee, alongside Sammy Lee Magnet Elementary School (LAUSD) and the Sammy Lee Diving Tower at USC. Dr. Lee passed away in December 2016.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
