Key Takeaways
- Westside Foundation raised over $34 million through private donations to fund the New Life Complex
- The pool was built by Myrtha, the Italian company that constructed pools for the Paris and Rio Olympic Games
- A sports medicine center will provide students with hands-on career training alongside athlete care
- The upgraded weight room rivals college-level facilities, according to school officials
- Phase two construction completes by year-end, with full student access beginning next semester
Private Funding Delivers Major Facility Upgrade
Westside High School’s New Life Complex represents one of the largest private facility investments in the region’s K-12 athletics landscape. The Westside Foundation secured the full $34 million budget through private donations, funding construction that includes dedicated athletic spaces, educational facilities, and a competition-grade aquatics center.
Phase one construction is complete. School officials expect phase two to finish by the end of 2025, opening full building access to students at the start of the spring semester.
Olympic-Grade Infrastructure Arrives at High School Level
The complex’s centerpiece is an aquatics facility built by Myrtha, an Italian company that constructed the competition pools for both the Paris and Rio Olympic Games. The installation brings Olympic-standard infrastructure to the high school level, including increased depth and expanded dimensions compared to the school’s previous pool.
Juan Romero-Sarraf, a member of the diving team, highlighted the upgrade: “The pool wasn’t as big as this, it wasn’t as great as this, and it wasn’t as deep.”
The weight room upgrade also draws comparisons to collegiate programs. Elizabeth Powers, Westside School’s Director of Communication, noted the facility “rivals some college facilities.”
Sports Medicine Center Blends Athletics With Career Training
The New Life Complex includes a sports medicine center designed to serve dual purposes: immediate athlete care and career pathway education. Students can enroll in sports medicine courses that provide practical experience in the field.
“Not only is this a place to make sure we’re taking care of our athletes’ role in sports medicine classes, so they’re learning all about medicine if it’s a career they maybe wanna take,” said Powers.
The approach integrates athletic programming with vocational training, giving students exposure to healthcare careers while supporting the school’s competitive sports programs.
Tradition Meets Modernization
School officials preserved team traditions during the facility transition. For the wrestling program, staff photographed a wall where team members sign their names and recreated the feature in the new space, maintaining continuity across the move.
Senior Daniel Vanourney described the project timeline as notable: “I think it’s something that needs to be done at more schools, and I think that we’re really grateful at West Side to have this done as quickly as it’s been able to get done.”
Timeline and Access
With phase one complete and phase two on track for year-end completion, Westside students will gain access to the full complex next semester. The facility provides dedicated after-school athletic space, separating competitive programming from general educational facilities.
The private funding model used by the Westside Foundation demonstrates one approach schools are taking to upgrade aging athletic infrastructure without relying solely on public funding mechanisms.
via: 3 News Now
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