By Michelle McCulloch

According to statistics from DesertUSA.com, residents of Yuma, Ariz., enjoy the sunniest year-round location in the United States, with an annual average of 4,133 hours of sunshine. The town is located along the eastern banks of the Colorado River in the SonoranDesert. With extremely low humidity, the average high temperature during summer tops the 100-degree mark. The heat and intense sunshine do not hinder the city’s residents from venturing outdoors, though. The small town boasts an impressive parks and recreation department, with popular outdoor amenities topping the list. Over 30 public parks, several pools and water features, athletic complexes, skateparks and walking trails serve the county’s nearly 200,000 residents.  



Defining Needs  
Yuma Union High School District 70 (YUHSD) educates over 10,000 students, who hail from four elementary partner districts, spanning an area of 2,455 square miles. The district includes five comprehensive high schools and one alternative school. Several years ago, administrators from YUHSD began to discuss options for athletic facilities. Their swimming and diving athletes, in particular, were competing and practicing in undersized--and in some cases, substandard--pools. It was clear that the district needed to investigate a new regulation-sized swimming and diving center, but all involved knew that funding for this type of facility would be difficult or even impossible to secure.