Harmon Gym
The lair of Golden Bear gymnastics, Harmon Gym serves as the home facility for
the men's and women's gymnastics teams. Built in 1933, it replaced the old Harmon
Gym, which stood since 1878 as one of the centers of the California campus.
Both the old and new gyms were named in honor of A.P.K. Harmon, the Oakland
financier who donated $15,000 in 1878 for the construction of the original
gymnasium. That gym had a seating capacity of 1,400, and was the first building
on campus that could hold more than 350 people.
The current Harmon Gym was funded by a legacy from Ernest V. Cowell, combined
with the money from the Associated Student Fund and the state legislature. The
167,000 square foot facility, designed by architect George W. Kelham, cost
$727,500. For 26 years, however, the building was without a name, known simply as
the Men's Gym. In January of 1959, Chancellor Glenn T. Seaborg announced that the
gym would be named in honor of Harmon, who funded the first gym.
On Jan. 19, 1995, California Athletic Director John Kasser announced plans to
expand the existing Harmon Gym, increasing seating capacity to approximately
11,000. The new facility will be known as the Walter J. Haas, Jr. Pavilion, in
recognition of the longtime Cal supporter who made an initial $10 million
donation to the project. Construction is slated to begin in 1997, with completion
in time for the 1998-99 season.
The California gymnastics teams practice at the Golden Bear Recreation Center,
located on the University's Clark Kerr Campus. The Rec Center also serves as the
home of the Golden Bear Gymnastics Academy.
