The Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District recently held an open house for the community to view and tour Livermore High School's brand-new gymnasium, which was built as part of the voter-approved Measure J bond facilities improvement projects, district officials said in a statement.

The open house event at the campus on June 25 "was a great success and the community thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to see this beautiful new space," according to district spokesperson Sarah DeGroat.

The gymnasium facility is a two-story building totaling 49,000 square feet and includes a main gym with mezzanine bleachers, practice gym, wrestling room, dance studio, weight room, PE classroom, team rooms, boys and girls locker rooms, concessions kitchen and patio and ticket booth.

Still to be completed are the aquatics facilities that will include a 12-lane swimming pool, diving boards and water polo field. District officials said that completion of this phase is planned for summer 2023.

Contractors broke ground on the gym in the summer of 2020. Construction was managed by the district's bond department in partnership with Roebbelen Contracting, Inc. and Kitchell Construction.

The progress was accelerated while students were distance learning during the early stages of the pandemic, which resulted in the gym being completed ahead of schedule and under budget, according to the district.

Other large-scale Measure J funded projects include Granada High School's new Athletics & Aquatics Complex, which was completed last year in time for students' return to in-person instruction.

A new two-story classroom building at East Avenue Middle School and a new classroom building, gym and drop-off/parking lot at Joe Michell K-8 School are also among the finished projects paid for with Measure J funds.

The status of other Measure J renovations can be found on the "Project Update Matrix" at the district's website.