WELLNESS AND RECREATION WINDOWS

“The Wellness and Recreation Center has long been a dream for our students and we’re thrilled to finally be bringing it to campus.” Ambrose Associate Vice President of Advancement Sally Crino. Varsity basketball and volleyball games will continue to be played on the Leo Kilfoy Court. A second weight room will be dedicated primarily to athletics teams use, and new offices will serve the Athletics Department and Campus Recreation. Ambrose plans to repurpose and remodel approximately 19,000 square feet of space in the existing PE center. The new Wellness and Recreation Center is part of a strategic plan the university has carefully implemented to respond to and manage growth, and to meet the expectations of prospective students and their families.” Since 2000, the university has constructed or renovated 14 major buildings. “The campus residential population has more than doubled since the Physical Education Center was constructed in 1983, and the number of athletics teams has grown from eight to 23 since that time. Mike Johnson said what gets him excited about the campaign is that the project meets the needs and desires of today’s students. “They have been inspired to make significant gifts in order to make this dream of a new Wellness and Recreation Center a reality something hoped for and talked about for many years.” Ambrose philanthropic and volunteer leadership, while continuing and honoring their families’ history of engagement with our university.”Ī number of commitments for the campaign have come from first-time major donors, Sr. Lescinski said the Johnson and Lemeks, through their roles as campaign co-chairs, provide “a new generation of St. The campaign’s honorary chairs are Jim (’56) and Mary Hagen. The Lemeks also are 1986 graduates of St. Ambrose. Barbara Johnson and the Lemeks are current Board of Trustees members. Each leadership gift is of $1 million or more,” added Mike Johnson, who also is president of Clinton Engineering in Clinton.īarbara Johnson’s late father, John “Jack” Bush, and Beth Lemek’s late father, John Figge, each served as members of the St. “The impressive total raised so far for this project includes several leadership gift commitments. The lobby area will display pictures, trophies and memorabilia celebrating Fighting Bee athletics, and a new Hall of Fame area to honor accomplishments of players and coaches.Īlready, the campaign has raised more than $13 million toward the $18.5 million fundraising goal, said Mike Johnson, who co-chairs the campaign with his wife Barbara (Bush) and Brian and Beth (Figge) Lemek. An Exercise Physiology lab will help serve the growing student interest in Kinesiology majors and careers related to health and wellness.Ī 1,200-square-foot Club Room located near the main entry lobby will be used for events and as a conference room for the Kinesiology, Athletics and Campus Recreation departments as well as for recruiting and advancement events. A 2,200-square-foot multipurpose group exercise room will be used by the Kinesiology Department for movement-type courses, by Campus Recreation for group exercise, and by the Athletics Department for cheerleading and dance team practices. It will feature a 200-meter competition track, pole vault areas and long- and triple-jump pits and four basketball/volleyball courts.Īmong the major interior features will be a 5,200-square-foot, two-story cardio workout and weight room with machines and weights more suited to recreational athletes.

WELLNESS AND RECREATION WINDOWS

Numerous windows below the roof line, and some areas with glass walls, will give the interior an open feel and provide students with views inside the building and out to the campus.Ī 56,000-square-foot field house for recreation, intramurals, athletics practices and some varsity competitions comprises the largest component of the Wellness and Recreation Center.

The largely brick exterior is in keeping with other campus facilities. Designed by RDG Planning and Design of Des Moines, Iowa, the building will have a distinctive half-barrel roof construction reminiscent of a 1950s-era field house.

Wellness and recreation