Perhaps Brookside Park’s story starts with sheep. For many years, sheep grazed in an area of the Arroyo Seco. Pasadena city officials purchased 30 acres of this land known as Sheep Corral Springs. They planned to develop a park in 1912.
Initially, it was called Arroyo Springs Park. Then, in 1914, Mrs. Everett Wellington Brooks donated $3,000. She wanted to build a municipal swimming pool. It would be built on a portion of the land. The park was dedicated in her honor giving it the name Brookside Park. The pool was added later that year.
However, Brookside Park’s plunge held a dark secret. Segregation was common in Pasadena. Soon after the pool was completed, city officials announced a policy. Wednesday afternoons and evenings were set aside for the Negro population.
By 1930, use of the pool by people of color was even more limited. This included residents of Hispanic and Asian descent. It was restricted to one weekday from 2 to 5 p.m. This weekly event was called International Day. White people were not permitted to swim on that day. The pool was drained and cleaned after each International Day.
In 1939, six African American men took action. They filed a lawsuit against the Pasadena Board of City Directors. They argued that as tax-paying property owners, they helped fund the pool’s construction. They should have the right to use it on the same days as white residents.
Initially, the court ruled in favor of the City of Pasadena. The NAACP immediately appealed and won the case. The city petitioned the California Supreme Court, but the court denied the petition.
However, World War II was in full swing and Brookside Park became emergency housing for soldiers. The pool was closed. Showers and restrooms were exclusively for veterans.
In 1947, the Board of Pasadena City Directors authorized funds to rehabilitate the plunge. The pool reopened to the public on June 7, 1947. Finally, all swimmers in Pasadena could use the pool regardless of their race. This was 33 years after the original plunge opened.
In 1989, the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center opened on the site. It was funded with $4.5 million from the City of Pasadena. $2 million came from private donations.
Today, the RBAC at Brookside Park is open to all. It offers various activities like water aerobics, recreational swimming, water polo, and diving teams. It’s a popular place for swimmers of all ages.