History of the SRWC

Quick Facts

• Price tag: About $21 million
• Total square footage: 104,000
• Number of multi-purpose rooms: 5
• Number of basketball courts: 3
• Lanes on the walking/jogging track: 3
• Cost for students: None
• Number of golf simulators: 2
• Square footage of cardio room: 14,000

UWO recreation and wellness center a place for students to call their own

February 2, 2007, By Krista B. Ledbetter of The Northwestern

It's more than 100,000 square feet of state-of-the-art construction sporting an Energy Star-rated roof, automated temperature and humidity monitoring systems and abstract design. And it belongs to the students of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

The UWO Student Recreation and Wellness Center is a project not only planned in conjunction with students, but also paid for by the students, through student fees. And Oshkosh Student Association President Amanda Cone couldn't be more pleased — both with the facility and those involved in its process.

"I think it's a great testament to what the students are willing to do for their university," said Cone. "It's a great facility, and will make a great recruiting tool. Oshkosh is great, but we're making it better."

Terry Barth, a former UWO director of recreation and intramurals who's been an intricate part of the project, said students had a say in every decision about the project, from the color of the walls to the design of the building.

"The students were incredibly involved, and they still are," Barth said. "It's amazing how dedicated they are. The building really is for students, by students and paid for by students."

Preliminary ideas began forming for the project in 2002, said Petra Roter, vice chancellor for student affairs. Ground was broken for the project last April, and the facility is expected to be open in time for the fall 2007 semester.

Roter hopes the center will not only draw new students to UWO, but also keep them at the university.

"I look at this as a jewel on the UWO crown," said Roter. "I think it will bring people in, but it will also be a retention tool. Students involved in informal recreation stay longer. This will allow more students to be involved, thus retaining them."

UWO will finally have the facility, the resources and the staff to provide more intramural opportunities for students, she said. Campus job opportunities will arise as well. Roter expects to hire students for receptionists, babysitters for the facility's nursery, athletic officials, instructors and trainers. The center will also have its own administrative staff. UWO will begin its search for a director soon, she said.

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Student Recreation and Wellness Center Students with a valid ID will have free access to the facility and its amenities, while the cyber cafe, an Internet hot spot on campus, and the media center will be open to the general public.

Five multi-purpose rooms will be available for intramural sports and campus organizations, while the facility will also offer three full basketball courts with scoreboards, a multi-purpose gym for hockey and soccer, a walking and jogging track, a free-weight room, a cardio center, and a climbing wall. Students and organizations will also be able to rent outdoor sporting equipment such as canoes, kayaks and bicycles, and there's also a room for equipment demonstrations. The center also includes storage rooms for intramural sports and campus organizations.

"This is really important because club sports used to have no place to call their own, and now they have a place to call their own. And somewhere to store their stuff," Barth said.

Cone said the end result will be a reflection on the students.