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Long Beach City College has unveiled the latest addition to its campus.
Today, the college announced the opening of its new $75 million Kinesiology Labs and Aquatic Center on the school’s liberal arts campus. The aquatic center has also officially taken on a new name: the Monte Nitzkowski Aquatic Center, in honor of the former LBCC swimming and water polo coach.
Nitzkowski, who died in 2016, was an Olympic swimmer who led the Vikings to six state water polo championships and six state swimming championships during his tenure from 1955 to 1989.
Now, the legendary coach’s name is associated with the new 30,000 square foot facility, featuring an Olympic-sized swimming pool as well as new artificial turf football and softball fields, as well as new tennis courts and beach volleyball on more than 18 courts in total. acres of construction.
“What top student athlete wouldn’t want to learn, train and compete here? LBCC President and Superintendent Mike Muñoz said during the Friday morning ceremony.
Support facilities ranging from locker rooms to ice bath machines and new gym equipment will occupy approximately 12,000 square feet of space in the new center.
After work began in the fall of 2019 and construction began soon after, the process went smoothly despite the COVID-19 pandemic, according to LBCC Board Chairman Uduak -Joe Ntuk.
“It was completed on schedule and ready for the return of our spring semester this year,” Ntuk said.
Aquatics coach Chris Oeding, who is also an assistant coach for the US women’s water polo team, said the facility is a much-needed breath of fresh air for his athletes.
“It’s surreal,” Oeding said. “It’s a great day for our past, present and future student-athletes as they have a new home. And what a house it is.
While academics are the focus of any college, LBCC officials said they understand the important role athletics can play in a student’s growth.
“Athletics is an important part of the total college experience, and sporting events provide students with the opportunity to develop valuable skills,” Muñoz said, “such as teamwork, self-discipline, problem solving and leadership that can be useful in everyday life”.
College officials also hope others will take notice of the new facilities, especially those associated with some of the major international events that will soon stop in Southern California.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed that when the Olympics and the World Cup come around, this is a place where these athletes from all over the world can come to train and be ready to compete,” Ntuk said.
Bond measures approved by E voters in 2008 and LB in 2016 helped fund construction, and college officials acknowledged their importance at Friday’s ceremony.
“We just couldn’t have done it without them,” Ntuk said of the town’s voters. “Thanks to their ‘yes’, we were able to make significant progress towards modernizing the college.”
Bond money has led to a wave of new college construction, this project being one of them.
“We have completed major infrastructure on both campuses,” Ntuk said. “All of these celebrations have been virtual, so we’re especially excited to be with you in person today.”
Renovations to the liberal arts campus auditorium were completed in 2020, a new three-story multidisciplinary building is set to open this year, and plans are underway to upgrade the school’s building trades facilities. at the Pacific Coast Campus, among other projects.
Campus officials hope the new facilities will help restore the college’s reputation.
“With our fair and consistent academic success rates and improved facilities on both campuses,” Muñoz said, “there is simply no better environment for learning and living than here at LBCC.”
