Riverside AQuettes
“What a great opportunity to have
a world class aquatics training and
competition site in Riverside! I achieved
my dream of winning an Olympic
medal, but I had to log a lot of travel
time to and from training facilities. The
Riverside Aquatics Center will make it
much easier for our community’s future
Olympian hopefuls.”
Stephanie Nesbitt
2004 Olympic Medalist
Synchronized Swimming
Former Riverside AQuette
Riverside’s Turn N Burn Diving Club
Bringing New Aquatics Opportunities to the Inland Empire
Aquatics in the Inland Empire will reach a new level with the construction of the Riverside
Aquatics Complex at Riverside City College. The College is working with the city of Riverside
and the county of Riverside to build the new state-of-the-art facility. Featuring the region’s
first 65-meter competition pool, the project offers exciting opportunities to develop worldclass training facilities for RCC and other competitive swim, dive, and water polo teams
and individual athletes. The complex will also help address the growing need for sports
medicine and water fitness classes, and swimming education and recreation programs for
the community.
Thanks to a unique public-private partnership, the Riverside Aquatics Complex is off the
starting blocks in good shape. Commitments of $10 million have been secured, and the
RCCD Foundation has committed to raising the remaining $4 million needed for construction
and ongoing operations.
We are excited to announce that former state assemblyman and local business leader
Ted Weggeland has agreed to serve as campaign chair.
“Our kids deserve the very best
aquatics facility we can build. I’m
confident that individuals and
businesses will step forward with
the necessary private support to
complete what will be one of the
premier aquatics complexes in
California.”
Ted Weggeland
Riverside Aquatics Complex
Campaign Chair
The Need for a New Aquatics Complex
Competition for pool time in our communities has long outstripped available resources. On the college campus alone, RCC
teams have never been able to fully train or
compete at the existing Cutter Pool because
of the facility’s small size. Lack of space not
only has made it difficult for the College
to expand programs in sports medicine and
fitness that require pool access, but also
to offer more swimming and water safety
sessions for the community. Out in the
community, talented young swimmers and
divers must travel to Orange County and
Los Angeles to find competition-quality
training facilities.
With high schools, colleges and clubs
competing for pool time and space–often
at inadequate community pools–there is a
growing need for more and better water,
especially given the commitment by RCC,
the city, and the county to also expand
water education, safety, and recreation
programs.
Construction of the new aquatics complex
will also be an economic boost for Riverside
and the region, attracting state and
national competitions, and benefitting local
restaurants, hotels, and retail establishments
through increased visitor spending.
“The new aquatics complex will give us
the training and resources we need to
compete with clubs throughout Southern California and the nation. Our
young divers deserve state-of-the-art
equipment that will help them become
top competitive divers.”
Jimmy Adams, Coach
“Our young people shouldn’t have
to spend hours on the road traveling
to aquatics centers in Mission Viejo,
Irvine, and Fullerton. We owe it to the
athletes and their families to provide a
competitive venue here at home.”
Debbi Guthrie, Local business leader
and former Riverside AQuette
The Costs of the New Aquatics Complex
Total Project Cost
$14 million
65-Meter Pool
Aquatics Building
10-Meter Dive Tower
1-, 3-, 5- and 7-Meter Boards
Grandstands
Competition Pool Lighting
Hydraulic Water Lift (disabled access)
Electronic Competition Scoreboard
Photovoltaic Energy System
Maintenance Endowment
Annual Estimate
$150,000
“It’s time for the College to build a facility
that matches the dedication of our student
athletes. Our teams must be able to train
and compete on campus.”
Dave Almquist, Head Coach,
RCC Swim and Water Polo
The New Riverside Aquatics Complex
“This new aquatics center will make
it possible for us to offer students
and the community more and better
water education and fitness classes,
and continue to provide popular
programs like College for Kids swim
classes for years to come.”
Dr. Linda Lacy, Interim President,
Riverside City College
The planned Riverside Aquatics Complex
will be located at Riverside City College
next to Cutter Pool on the lower campus.
This location means convenient access to
the 91 and 60 freeways.
The new, all-deep pool will be 65 meters.
A bulkhead will allow simultaneous uses
and enhance training and competition
opportunities. Two 3-meter and two
1-meter boards will flank a diving tower
equipped with 5- and 7-meter boards
and a 10-meter platform. Permanent
grandstands will accommodate 800 fans,
and the facilities will be accessible for
individuals with disabilities. Discussions are
underway with Riverside Public Utilities to
install a photovoltaic system to help defray
utility costs. Individual team locker rooms
and coaching offices will be housed in a new
building. A new electronic scoreboard will
complete the aquatics complex. Construction
on the new facility is expected to start in
2009.
The two existing Cutter pools will serve as
practice, warmup, and water education
facilities, along with the existing building,
which will house a classroom, public
restrooms, and changing areas.
Gift Opportunities
The Riverside Aquatics Complex offers several
named gift opportunities. The enclosed card
highlights the ways you can partner in this
community-wide effort to bring critically
needed aquatics facilities to our region.
Inland Empire Aquatics A Rich History
RCC Athletics
Riverside Community College has a strong
tradition of turning out competitive
swimmers, divers, and water polo players.
Over the past decade, RCC competitive
aquatics teams have been runners-up in
state championships seven times, produced
12 individual state champions, 50 AllAmericans, four state record holders, and
one national record holder. Most recently,
the Women’s Water Polo team under
Coach Dave Almquist won the 2005 State
Championship.
Top Aquatics Clubs and Athletes
Founded in 1958, the Riverside AQuettes
has earned an international reputation
for fielding top-performing synchronized
swimmers. Among the club’s alumni are
2004 Olympic bronze medalist Stephanie
Nesbitt and Canadian Olympian Courtenay
Stewart. The AQuettes currently hold
the 2006 Speedo Overall Junior National
Championship title, and two of its members
competed on last year’s U.S. National
Team.
This year, more than 50 Inland Empire
swimmers, divers, and water polo players
are competing for Division 1 and Division 2
universities nationwide.
It is among the College’s and this community’s highest priorities to provide the
aquatics resources necessary to make it
possible for our young athletes to train
here and have the home pool advantage
in important competitions as they pursue
their sports and life goals.
”With this partnership, we have a
tremendous opportunity to give our
athletes a competitive advantage, increase water fitness and activities for
the community, and bring new visitors to Riverside. Our city is a leader
in many areas. It’s time we have an
Olympic-quality aquatics facility here
at home.”
Ron Loveridge, Mayor,
City of Riverside
The Riverside Aquatics Complex
For more information contact:
Riverside Community College District Foundation
951.222.8626
www.riversideaquaticscomplex.com
Available in alternate formats.