Water Sports Complex Under Way in Pasadena

A world-class water sport complex is under construction on the site of the old Brookside Plunge at the south end of the Arroyo Seco, adjacent to the Rose Bowl.

Planned for completion in the spring of 1990, the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center will house two Olympic-size pools and a third pool for small children. Other facilities include a clubhouse with locker rooms, a weight room, offices, meeting rooms and a pro shop.

The center, in addition to maintaining swimming, diving and water polo teams, will offer a variety of summer recreational instruction in kayaking, scuba diving and other water sports. A scholarship fund will make these activities available to children of all economic levels.

The design for the center, executed by the Los Angeles-based Architrave, echoes the Pasadena style that was prevalent in that area during the 1920s when the Brookside Plunge was originally built.

The project is a partnership between the city of Pasadena, which has provided a long-term lease on the site plus a $750,000 capital grant for construction, and a private board of directors, which has launched a $5-million fund raising campaign to build the complex.