I read the recent post on The Skyline View about wanting a fitness center at Skyline College for students like the two other SMCCCD colleges have at the College of San Mateo Athletic Center and Cañada College Athletic Center in Redwood City. I want to point out that both of these colleges are also open to the community to join. Elementary students through seniors use both facilities. There are adaptive classes in swimming and other PE classes. Many seniors, young people, working people and students use. They are open to the community to join.

Please be aware that $70 million of bond money was diverted from Skyline College to Cañada College to build the Cañada College Athletic Center. It was supposed to be a $50 million facility but went to $120 million. $70 million bond money was diverted from Skyline to Cañada College. This decision was made at the district level by former chancellor and SMCCCD Board of Trustees. Trustee Richard Holober said in February 2024 SMCCCD Board of Trustees video that if they did a new bond the voters may not want to vote for it. But is was OK to divert $70 million bond money away from Skyline. Skyline has a tiny weight room that is NOT open to the community to join. A handful of people make spending decisions that will last lifetimes. Maybe my grandchildren will get something at Skyline, but I don’t think it will happen in my lifetime.

There are three YMCAs in south county but zero YMCAs in north county. There are many facilities in the south county for the community but very little in north county. Can you make students aware in some way of what happened and why Skyline got nothing? I do not think most students are aware that Cañada got a brand new athletic center as well as a multistory science and technology building recently. Skyline got an environmental science building overlooking the ocean with a few classrooms but most of the building hosts celebrations. This does little for the community or the students. It is grossly inequitable that Cañada College (with fewer students than Skyline) got an enormous athletic center while Skyline College got nothing for students or the community.