Viewpoints
4 | November 15, 2012
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Wheelock Gym gets rededicated After several years of renovating Wheelock Gym, it has its official reopening on Nov. 3 Nishe Butler Staff Writer With great pride and anticipation the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees hosted the official rededication and open house of the historic Wheelock Gymnasium, on Nov. 3, after a two year wait. The Wheelock Gym had been an old structure which did not meet the requirements to withstand any earthquake, so it went under renovation. The newly renovated gym is fully equipped with six basketball courts, a volleyball court, men and women locker rooms, 14 restrooms, three elevators, a capacity of 960 seats and 31 handicap accessible seats. Completing 41,662 square feet becoming a state of the art facility. The master of ceremonies was Derrick Johnson, RCC athletic director. Remarks were made by Los Angeles Clippers’ broadcaster Ralph Lawler, Janet Green president of the Board of Trustees, Cynthia Azari, president of RCC, RCC athletics hall of fame member, Alicia Berber, RCC women’s basketball coach and John Smith, RCC men’s basketball coach. “If this building could talk (imagine) the stories it would tell,” Lawler said. Although Lawler was never a student at RCC, he did get his broadcasting career started in the 1960s doing play-by-play for a number of games during the period former RCC men’s basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian led his team to three state championships. “I am forever grateful for my opportunity here at this college,” Lawler said. “I was not a student but I am forever a Tiger.” Green said how the college was able to renovate the gym by using the Measure C funds. She said RCC students are
benefiting from the new structures that the measure has contributed in helping build. “RCC prides itself on, not only top notch athletes, but most importantly, top notch students,” Green said. Fred “Lucky” Smith, father of coach John Smith, played during the “Tarkanian Era,” and John shared thoughts of what it meant to him to be at the ceremony. “What it has meant for me to be here, where my father won backto-back championships is very humbling,” John said. “I have been able to build a program and teach my players that, by facing their fears, they can knock them down, jump over them and accomplish anything.” John said he is happy to be back home in the renovated gym. During the renovation period both RCC basketball teams practiced in the Huntley Gym and their home games were played at Cal Baptist University. The volleyball team practiced and played in the Huntley Gym. Berber said she is also excited to be back in the renovated gym and begin the new season this month. “I have spent over half my life here at RCC,” she said. “I always encourage my student athletes to save their best efforts for the classroom.” As the ceremony concluded President Azari thanked the community members who attended. She was sure all the student athletes will feel empowered with the new addition to the college. “I am inspired to see what the next year has to offer,” she said. The women’s and men’s basketball players offered tours of the renovated gym during the ceremony. “I want to set records making a difference; It is going to be an amazing year for both the women’s and men’s basketball teams,” said Davina Pasillas, player for RCC women’s basketball team.
Tim Cornell / Staff Photographer
‘Tiger for life’: Ralph Lawler, broadcaster for the Los Angeles Clippers, was not an RCC
student but he did get his start in broadcasting in the 1960s by calling some of RCC men’s basketball games during the time the team won three straight state titles.
RCC seeks to expand its campus in the city RCC Veterans Club helps out Tabatha Carrezza Staff Writer Riverside City College looks to continue adding to its campus. President Cynthia Azari said the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees has approved the expansion of the School of Arts. She stated that they originally had a similar plan about 20 years ago, but due to changes in the law, it allowed the college to submit only one project per year. With greater funds; however, the college was able to restart its plan for the expansion of the art buildings. “We received $40 million in funds, so the board approved of the recouping of the project,” Azari said. She also said the project has a
budget of $41 million. “We have a very vibrant performing arts program,” she stated. “We have outgrown our facilities here.” Azari also stated that there is also a plan to expand art programs. “We received a $5 million grant from Henry Quail in honor of his parents; that is specifically for program needs,” she said. The new buildings will be mainly for music classes and programs. Will Kim, an art adviser at RCC, said other arts such as visual and animation will remain in the arts building at RCC. Although Kim is generally in charge of animation, he believes that the expansion of the music arts will benefit the community as a whole.
“Art is what brings the community together and is very necessary,” he said. Stephanie Lara, an RCC student, said she believes the expansion will be a positive change for RCC. “It’s an outlet for a lot of young adults such as me,” she said. Lara said she was a music major, but because of lack of space for students, she had to change majors. “I had to change majors because sometimes there would be 30 people on the waitlist (for a class) and only 40 spaces in the class,” she said. The School of Arts is expected to be located on University Avenue and Market Street. It is expected to open in 2016, the year RCC is scheduled to celebrate its 100 year birthday.
Matthew Hojdila Staff Writer Riverside City College Veterans Club members responded to one of their own, when they washed cars, not only to help the Riverside veteran’s family, but to commemorate the soldier on campus with a plaque on Oct. 19. Earlier this year Ray Carillo, a veteran and student wanting to join law enforcement, was hit by a train in Riverside. Club councilor and adviser Garth Schulz and Vice President Cesar Vasquez explained how they read about Carillo in The PressEnterprise. “Police believed that Carillo was crossing the tracks at Chicago and Marlborough Avenues and did not see a train coming after one had just passed,” Schultz said.
“There is only a small sign there and he isn’t the only one to get hit at that spot.” The Veterans Club, having decided to become a larger presence on the campus this semester, responded to the accident with the car wash as a booster event to help the victim’s family and create a new standard for recognizing fellow student veterans. “The event is not only for the family of Carillo, but also for the possibility of future relationships with the Veterans Club, between the community and students here in Riverside,” said club Chris Curtis, club treasurer. Schultz remembered Carillo’s involvements in the club. “Carillo was a great guy; I knew him,” he said. “He was a member of the club and wanted to enter law enforcement.”