2018 March PASO Magazine

PASO ROBLES COMMUNITY AQUATIC COMPLEX BREAKS GROUND IN APRIL
Students, athletes, and entire community expected to benefit from project
By Meagan Friberg
There are a lot of exciting changes
underway at schools in the Paso Robles
Joint Unified School District thanks to
local voters passing Measure M, a $95
million general obligation bond, in
the November 2016 election.
“We are really excited to be moving
forward with Measure M,” PRJUSD
Superintendent Chris Williams said.
One big change is the construction
of the Paso Robles Community
Aquatic Complex at Paso Robles High
School. A groundbreaking ceremony is
planned for April 9.
With $5.7 million of Measure M
allocated towards the aquatic complex,
Phase 1 construction is expected to be
completed in January 2019. This will
cover costs associated with land excavation,
pool construction, decking,
lighting, bleachers, diving blocks, and
pool equipment.
“We are focusing on a high performance,
state-of-the-art facility,” said
PRJUSD Manager of Facilities and
Planning Cheryl Mollan.
Additional funding totaling $2.5
million is being sought to provide
athlete changing rooms, a public restroom
facility, student classroom, staff
meeting room, and a concession stand;
volunteers with the 4A Foundation for
Paso Schools have set about fulfilling
this fundraising goal.
A Game Changer
When Jen Brown first heard about
the aquatic complex project, she
thought she was dreaming. She has
been coaching, teaching, and working
as an aquatics director at various facilities
in SLO county, primarily in Paso
Robles, for decades.
“All of us in the aquatic community
here in North County have
been waiting for more than 30 years
to have a functional and competitive
aquatic complex,” Brown said.
“Over the course of that time, there
have been countless project proposals
that never came to fruition. The
fact that we are finally able to provide
our community and our athletes
with a high-quality facility is like a
dream.”
The aquatic complex, according to
Brown, will have a lasting impact on
local students.
“It’s a true game changer for the future,”
she said. “Not only will our athletes
reap the benefits, but we will be able to
provide career tech studies and create
jobs. Additionally, the ability to ensure
that every student learns skills to keep
them safe in and around the water will
save lives, enabling our district to give the
gift of water safety to all students.”
There will also be adult programs,
senior programs, rehabilitation, and
more offered onsite, according to Athletic
Director Rich Clayton.
“We will open it up to the community,”
Clayton said. “People can get involved
and their kids can swim in it, and
then their grandkids, and they’ll be able
to say, ‘I remember when we helped put
this pool here.’ This is a real community
project – it is an opportunity to be involved
with something that will be a cornerstone
of this community much in the
same way as War Memorial Stadium.”
Want to learn more about the
Paso Robles Community Aquatic
Complex and how you might help?
Visit swimpaso.org, like Swim Paso
on Facebook, or call the PRJUSD District
Office at 805-769-1000.
March 2018, PASO Magazine 49