July 2007 News
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Ribbon Cutting on July 20 to Celebrate Dos Pueblos High School’s New $5.9 Million Elings Aquatic Center
On June 9, 2006, a groundbreaking was held to kick off the construction of Dos Pueblos High School’s 50 meter x 25 yard competition quality swimming pool. Thirteen months have passed and it is now time to celebrate the completion of this project. A ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 20, 2007, will inaugurate the new Elings Aquatic Center, named in honor of major donors Virgil Elings and Betty Wells.
Measure V general obligation bond funds ($1.3 million) and state matching bond funds ($2.6 million) served as the cornerstone of the project. An additional $2 million was garnered by the South Coast Community Aquatics Center, which received donations from throughout the community including funds from Mr. Elings ($1 million), Ms. Wells ($500,000), and the Santa Barbara Education Foundation ($110,000 grant from the Santa Barbara Foundation). The donations enabled the Santa Barbara School Districts to expand the original plans from a 25 meter x 25 yard school pool to a 50 meter x 25 yard pool suitable for school and community aquatics use.
The Olympic-size pool was designed for competition-level water polo, swim meets, and community aquatics programs. The project includes a new pool building, a new pool mechanical room, and outdoor showers. The pool building houses an office with a full view of pool activities, a ticket window, restrooms, and storage for pool equipment.
Viola Constructors, Inc., based in Oxnard, CA, was the contractor for this project. The construction contract amount is $5 million. (Viola Constructors, Inc. is currently completing work on the new theatre at Dos Pueblos High School.) WLC Architects of Rancho Cucamunga was the project architect; and Hoffman Associates of San Luis Obispo provided on-site project management and inspection.
The space occupied by the old pool was converted to a concrete area that can be used as a basketball court or a staging area for aquatic activities.