Cal State Fullerton is building new $8 million, Olympic-sized pool
FULLERTON, Calif. (BVM) – Nearly two years ago, Cal State Fullerton found its half-century-old swimming and diving pools to be leaking up to 13,000 gallons of water a day.
After the pools’ closure and a study conducted on the next steps, three options were presented to the university: Spend between $2 million and $3 million to repair the 25-yard swimming pool, spend $4 million to $5 million to build an identical-sized pool or shell out $8 million to build a modern 53-meter pool.
The athletic department chose the latter, opting for the modern, bigger pool with a moveable bulkhead that can accommodate multiple activities simultaneously. The old pools have been demolished and work has already begun on the new aquatics facility which is expected to open in March.
“We definitely needed a new pool,” director of athletics Jim Donovan said in a press release on June 14. “The old one was 50-plus-years old and leaking, so putting in an Olympic-size pool is a real plus for the campus. I see this as a new type of collaboration between Titan Athletics, academics and the campus. Titan Athletics and the campus are investing in the pool, but everyone will benefit from its use.”
The new pool will be set aside for morning kinesiology classes and a midday open swim session for students, faculty and staff. It’ll serve as a training site for Titan student-athletes during afternoons and evenings, while also able to be rented out to entities such as high school teams and swim clubs for practices and competitions.
“The pool will be managed by the Athletic Department, with the pool time being shared between the College of Health and Human Development for its academic programs and the Athletic Department,” Cal State Fullerton president Fram Virjee said. “The pool will also be open for recreational swimming to all Titans. And it will be a revenue source – there is a significant demand for pool time from local off-campus entities. In sum, this will be a university asset that will benefit the entire campus.”
