Pierce Aquatics

A BRIEF HISTORY

Pierce COLLEGE

Pierce College has been a landmark in the west San Fernando Valley for over 65 years. In December 1943, 392 acres of land set in rolling hills was purchased to establish the Clarence W. Pierce School of Agriculture. Classes began in 1947 with 212 students. Community pressures and demands soon caused the College to broaden its educational scope and also to admit women in February 1951. In 1956 the name was changed to Pierce College. Today the College is located on 427 acres and serves a highly literate population preparing to take their place in industries at the forefront of technological advances.

Pierce is best characterized by its broad range of instructional programs. Students may choose to pursue a program in liberal arts and sciences and then transfer to a 4 year university or select from a variety of occupational fields. Complementing the instructional programs are community services workshops and classes for adults and children on popular topics of interest.

The Pool Facility

The swimming facility at Pierce College was built in 1978. Originally only a ten lane, 25 yard by 25 meter competition pool holding 348,000 gallons of water, the aquatic center is now home to a modernized, outfitted competition pool and community-driven six lane, 25 yard wellness pool.

In the early 1990’s with a failing economy and trickling funding, many administrators, who believed the pool was a costly asset to maintain, attempted to close the pool down in an effort to mitigate expenses. A loyal group of pools users, realizing the potential the pool had to reach out to the community and maintain aquatic programs, formed the organization “Friends of Pierce Pool” to ensure that the pool would remain open year round. Through fundraising, donations from community including a new heater from Teledyne Laars, and volunteer labor, the pool raised enough money and resources to run year round and be refurbished. 36 years strong, Pierce Pool, renamed the Steven Schofield Aquatics Center in 2009, continues to provide aquatic programs to the local community while hosting many competitive teams and courses to collegiate athletes.