The San Diego Unified School District has come together with construction companies to build the Standley Aquatic Center in the area between Standley Middle School and Standley Recreation Center, and is set to be completed in December 2022.

   “This project is overseen by the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) and there are many contractors doing different parts of the project.  Balfour Beatty is the crew that leads all the work on site and has trailers parked in the west Standley parking lot,” said Standley Middle School Principal Bill Pearson.

   According to the Balfour Beatty website, “Balfour Beatty is a leading international infrastructure group. We finance, develop, build, and maintain the vital infrastructure that we all depend on” (balfourbeatty.com).

   “The Standley Aquatic Center was part of the Vision UC 2020 led by the previous SDUSD school board president, Dr. John Lee Evans.  He worked with the UC community to make changes to the ‘joint use’ area between Standley Middle School and the Standley Rec Center,” said Pearson.

   “From those meetings, they decided to build an official size pool for water polo and other team events, a pavilion stage, and walking path.  This process started about eight years ago and is underway today,” said Pearson.

   “The project is scheduled for completion in December, but we do not have a ‘grand opening’ date at this time,” said Pearson.

   “UC High will benefit the most from this pool as it will be their home pool for high school sporting events.  Standley may eventually use the pool for swim lessons as part of the middle school PE curriculum. We are currently working with the district on how to make that happen,” said Pearson.

   “Our aquatics teams are excited about having our own home pool and this pool being the first for SDUSD to own,” said Athletic Director David Asuncion.

   “I like that it’s much closer to UC High than the pool we currently use at UCSD. In addition, when we practice at the UCSD pool we have to pay for parking,” said Senior UC Swim Team Member Morganne Byrnes.

   “Once it is finished, the city will take over managing and maintaining the facility, allowing SDUSD schools the priority for use and not costing the schools any more money,” said Pearson.

   “There are many requirements that will need to be met for our PE teachers and students to use the new facility.  We are working with the district and city to determine what those requirements are and how to meet them,” said Pearson.