The brand new California Aquatic Center on the Cal campus, which is expected to relieve the logjam on the school’s existing Spieker Aquatic Center, is on track for a summer of 2016 scheduled opening. The facility will be primarily a training facility for Cal swimming, diving, and water polo programs, but will include seating for 500 spectators in its primary 50 meter x 25 yard tank. The facility will also include a complete platform diving tower – which Cal’s campus has lacked
On Tuesday, Cal Athletics posted a video with a construction update showing that the hole is dug, the floor of the pool has been shaped, and the floor of the pool is in the process of being laid and smoothed.
The $15 million facility is located on the southwest corner of campus and replace an old parking lot; that puts it very close to the existing aquatics facilities and creates a sort of complex for the program.
The project is being funded primarily by Cal Aquatic Legends, which is an alumni donor group.
Dating back to 2009, Cal has won 7 of the last 14 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships. Their men’s water polo program is the most successful in NCAA history with 13 all-time titles, and the women were the 2011 NCAA runners-up.
500 won’t be big enough for major dual meets (Stanford, USC) or water polo on football Saturdays, but will be fine for weekday duals or polo which will be scheduled more frequently.
Long overdue and exciting. Will they host dual meets in this new pool or still at Spieker?
pwb – when originally announced, they said Spieker. I think we might not find out for sure though until the time comes.
Looks great! Roll on you Bears!