Rio Hondo Prep Breaks Ground For New Athletics Center

Rio Hondo Prep broke ground for a new athletics center Tuesday, according to a press release sent out by Parallax Associates, a local architectural firm in charge of the building's construction.

Construction of the new 22,000 square foot facility is scheduled to be completed in Dec. 2011, and it will replace a temporary "tent-like" building that housed the school's indoor athletics for the past 30 years.

“Our mission is to show each child that they are unique and born for a special purpose,”  Kare Youth League’s Executive Director John H. Martin said in the release. “We needed a structure that articulates that philosophy while providing a versatile platform to support a wide diversity of programs. Parallax understood how to translate creativity into a building and exceeded our expectations.”

The new gym will boast two side-by-side basketball courst with the ability to convert the two into single championship court featuring seating for up to 500 fans. There will also be an accompanying  full stage at the west end of the gym for school assemblies and theater and musical performances.

The release also detailed a number of sustainable design features which include:

• A comprehensive storm water filtration system to clean and contain rainwater run off.
• Low flow, hands free plumbing fixtures, to minimize water consumption
• Fluorescent light fixtures and HVAC economizers to minimize long-term energy consumption.