A disaster that killed eight people and leveled dozens of homes in San Bruno paved the way for a new Recreation and Aquatic Center that opened Saturday.
The facility was financed primarily by restitution for the Pacific Gas and Electric gas pipeline explosion that rocked San Bruno’s Crestmoor neighborhood in 2010, according to the city manager’s office.
In addition to eight deaths, the blast injured 66, destroyed 38 homes and severely damaged 17 others.
“The state-of-the-art Recreation and Aquatic Center stands as both a dedication to the lives forever lost and changed and also as a testament to our community’s resilience,” Mayor Rico E. Medina said in a press release.
Indoor and outdoor lap pools and a dedicated children’s pool with water play structures are the centerpieces of the facility.
Other features include indoor courts for basketball, volleyball and pickleball, a walking track that circles the gym floor, a fitness center, and multi-purpose rooms and a community hall.
The center “meets the recreational needs of San Bruno residents but also strengthens community bonds and ensures something truly positive can come from tragedy,” Medina said.
A National Transportation Safety Board investigation found the Sept. 9, 2010, explosion was caused by a defective seam weld in a pipeline segment that was incorrectly listed in PG&E records as seamless. It took PG&E more than 90 minutes to shut off the flow of gas that day.
A $70 million restitution fund was managed by the nonprofit San Bruno Community Foundation. It launched a community listening campaign to gather ideas for using the money to benefit the entire community. The recreation center was financed primarily by $51.5 million in grants from the foundation.
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