Change is coming to LMC
New additions set for completion in Fall ’19
Los Medanos College just keeps getting bigger and better.
In addition to the recent expansion of the Journalism lab and renovation to the north wing of CC-2, LMC is also eyeing a March completion date for its new Veterans Center.
“We’re anticipating the delivery of furniture, computers and printers for the center in the upcoming weeks,” said Gail Newman, Senior Dean of Student Services.
Also, according to a PDF file provided by college Vice President Kevin Horan, an assortment of plans dealing with refurbishments to older buildings on campus, as well plans for brand-new buildings coming to the college over the next four years, culminating with the completion of the Student Union & P.E. Center and the Brentwood Center in the fall of 2019.
With the addition of nine classrooms, eight faculty offices, and two meeting rooms to the second floor of the College Complex, Horan also stated in an email that Science Room-103 will change from an hours by arrangement lab to a scheduled lab, something he said will be similar to the other biology labs on the first floor.
But according to Horan, not everyone is happy about the upcoming construction plans, especially since in order to make way for the new P.E. Complex, the College will be forced to remove the forty-year-old swimming pool that currently is in that location.
Monica Unpingco-Adams, the president of the Antioch Delta Skimmers, a recreational youth swim team, expressed regret that the two parties’ long-running agreement would be coming to an end.
“It is tragic for the community, on all levels,” Ungpinco-Adams said in an email, adding that the team will look for a new home for the 2017 season.
“The pool was built in the 70’s and has only had cosmetic upkeep since,” Horan explained. “Any facility that is 40 years old is going to require on-going maintenance. The pool ups the ante a bit with its large utilities draw to run the pumps, filter and heater.”
Horan added that the pool doesn’t meet regulations required for collegiate swimming or water polo, and that the few swimming and water aerobics classes offered have experienced dwindling enrollment. Most of the pool’s use was by local groups through rental agreements.
Horan also stated that while the College has set aside land next to the future P.E. Center for a new pool, no funding has been secured for the construction of a new pool at this time.
“A long term plan around the development of a new pool will be focused around the expansion of our P.E. curriculum and an expansion of our athletics program,” said Horan. “ This would also benefit similar community swim organizations.”
The ongoing expansion is set to cost $115.8 million, funded by almost entirely by Measures A and E, which raised $24.5 million and $85 million respectively, raised through bonds and a property tax increase.
I graduated from Rio Vista High School in 2010 and goofed around for a couple years before registering at LMC in spring of 2013. I continued goofing around...