Santa Ynez Chumash Tribe donates $250,000 for high school aquatics complex
SANTA YNEZ, Calif. - The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians donated to the building of an aquatics complex at Santa Ynez High School on Friday.
The Tribe gave $250,000 to the Santa Ynez Community Aquatics Complex who's foundation is fundraising for a $17.5 million aquatics complex to be built in place of the Santa Ynez High School pool.
The Santa Ynez Community Aquatics Foundation is hoping to raise another $1.85 million in order to qualify for $6.3 million state funding from Proposition 68.
“When we first learned about the project, our board agreed that the Santa Ynez High School pool was not only in need of significant upgrades, but that the entire valley could benefit from having an elite community pool complex,” said Raul Armenta, Vice Chair of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ Business Committee, during a project update for the community at Santa Ynez High on Nov. 15.
The Chumash Tribe said the Santa Ynez High School pool is 50 years old and does not meet current disability or sanctioned competition requirements.
In order to solve this, the Santa Ynez Community Aquatics Foundation partnered with the City of Buellton and the Santa Ynez Union High School District to create a complex in the place of the pool that will offer health-focused, recreational, competitive, therapeutic and water safety programming.
The plans for this complex include a 35-meter competition pool, a 25-yard active living pool, changing rooms, a splash pad and a multi-purpose classroom and recreation area.
The competition pool was purchased by the Santa Ynez Community Aquatics Foundation in 2017 and is still waiting to be placed in the ground.
For more information on the aquatics complex and ways to donate, visit syvaquatics.org.
