September 2021 marked the start of a new era for the City of Chula Vista. The previous 40-year-old community center building was demolished to make way for the new recreation and aquatic center. It is considered one of the busiest recreation centers in Chula Vista, seeing about 2,000 visitors per year.
Currently, the community center is composed of a 50-meter pool, a large hall with a kitchen, and a game room with foosball and air hockey. In addition to swimming, it offers pre-kindergarten classes, flag football, martial arts, jazz dance, ballet, and gymnastics. In the past, Loma Verde has had several repairs and remodels but has lacked a comprehensive vision, according to city staff.
The three-phase construction project is slated to turn the building into a new, 20,000 sq. ft. recreation center with a multipurpose gymnasium, hard courts, restrooms, staff offices (including for lifeguards), and a multitude of rooms designated for crafts, fitness, and games. Its new design follows a larger, open-space concept for outdoor recreation and creates seamless connections between the indoors and outdoors, such as giving the multipurpose room large sliding doors.
The pool area will also undergo renovations, replacing the existing pool and deck with two new pools and a water sprayground, expanding the aquatic offerings at the facility. The project is currently in the design development phase and is expected to be completed in late 2022.