2008 Woodie Awards
Facelift for Recreation Center
Student Recreation Center construction to begin in late spring
Stephanie Hall
Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: News
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The $7 million expansion was approved in 2003 and is being paid for by a $27 student fee that is calculated into full-time students' tuition every semester. This fee has been added to tuition every semester since 2003 and students will continue to pay it until 2028. The addition will surround the current Student Recreation Center next to Reed Gymnasium, and should be completed for use in the fall 2009 semester.
Up to 50 percent of the parking on the east side of Reed Gym may be fenced off during the time of construction, and four of the six outdoor tennis courts will be gone for good, according to Doug Milder, Director of Campus Recreation and Intramurals. Inside the Center, one indoor tennis court and the track that surrounds it will be out of commission during the project, but will be reopened as soon as construction is complete.
Milder said there are a couple of reasons for the expansion. He said more space is needed for the weight and fitness rooms. In addition, this will help the SRC become more independent from Reed Gym, which is actually a state-owned and funded building. Those who work for the SRC will be able to move their offices out of Reed Gym and into the new expansion.
Another benefit of the expansion will be new cardio and weight equipment. According to Milder, the equipment currently in use will be sold for cost and all new machines will be bought. Special circuit training machines will be added to the weight room, as well.
The expanded weight and cardio areas should please a large number of students, but the members of the tennis team will feel the loss of more than half of their outdoor tennis courts.
"It will definitely impact the tennis team. They'll only be able to play a few matches at a time, and we won't be able to host home games here," said former tennis team member David Kutchins.
However, Milder said there are many other outdoor tennis courts around Pocatello available for the team and they should have a couple semesters to make arrangements for a new place to play.
When the plan was originally voted on five years ago, a new Olympic-size swimming pool was proposed as well, but students voted against the sizable fee increase that would have provided the necessary funding for the expensive project.
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