SAN ANTONIO – The Southwest Independent School District held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new 35,000-square-foot aquatics center on Friday.
According to a press release from Southwest ISD, the aquatics center will be one of only a handful of aquatics centers south of Highway 90 and will provide students with opportunities for swimming instruction as well as host competitions.
“The aquatics center has been a longtime dream for Southwest families. We want to thank our community for supporting this project and for recognizing the positive impact it will have on our students for years to come,” said Dr. Lloyd Verstuyft, superintendent of SWISD Schools.
The press release said the $24 million facility was approved by voters during the 2018 bond election, with the city contributing $4 million.
The two-story aquatic center will have a 50-meter competition pool with diving board and a 25-yard instructional warmup pool. The first floor will include restrooms, lockers, showers, a weight room, and a multipurpose classroom and the second floor will consist of spectator seating, offices, and concessions, the press release said.
The center will also be open to the public and available for lease for community events.
“This new state-of-the-art facility will be more than just a point-of-pride for SWISD, it also symbolizes the power of leveraged partnerships between our local school district and the City of San Antonio. Our residents deserve these types of direct investments in their communities and I am committed to continuously advocating for resources and services that benefit our entire community,” Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia, City Council District 4 Councilwoman said.
The ceremony was held at 11:30 a.m. in the 9300 block of SW Loop 410, along the Loop 410 access road.