The first phase of the Roche Sports Complex renovation is set for completion this fall. Due to budget constraints, the project will be split into either two or three phases, depending on additional funding.
Despite setbacks, Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé said that the first phase is moving along well.
“Renovations never go like clockwork,” Péwé said. “It’s something you need to have a stomach for. There are days when you get bad news because there was something you didn’t anticipate.”
The first phase will cover three courts, the first floor of the fitness center, and one set of bleachers. While the entire phase won’t be finished until October, the first court will be available on Sept. 6.
The fitness center’s first floor and the second court will follow a couple of weeks later. The final court will be ready in October.
“We’ve moved everything, gutted everything, put in new electrical gear and flooring,” Péwé added. “We had to take down the scoreboard, all the speakers, sound systems, lights and we took the press box out.”
All the courts are designed for different purposes, including badminton, volleyball, basketball, intramural, and other recreational play. Mini courts will be set up for team practices.
The courts will be available every day to volleyball and basketball players for brief periods in the afternoon up through November. Otherwise, they will be available to the whole student body.
“The arena will offer a greater variety of activities for everyone and better times to engage in them,” said Director of Athletics Don Brubaker. “In other words, IM volleyball won’t start at ten at night. It should start whenever you want it to.”
Changes have been made along the way. The original plans for the renovation placed the fitness center near the arena’s entrance, but was moved to the center, with glass separating the courts.
“It’ll have everything you can do in the weight room but with a little more cardio,” Péwé said.
Phase two will focus on the fitness center’s second floor, which Brubaker said will feature two removable walls, used to adjust the size of the room.
“It’s a very large exercise area designed for aerobics and any type of dance because it has a great deal of cushion,” Brubaker said. “It will be able to host a hundred exercisers, or around 30 per room if you break the space up.”
Future construction plans will depend on how much funding is available. So far, the project has received $2.8 million out of the total $5.5 million budget.
“We were hoping for some good-sized gifts, but we backed down and did the right thing by being prudent,” Péwé said. “We didn’t start until May and if we kept going now, it would be limited use anyway, so hopefully we can raise something by next spring and do a similar project.”
Currently, there are plans to add locker rooms, a new press box, coaches’ offices on mezzanines on top of the second floor, additional bleachers, a smoothie bar, climbing walls, concession stands, and a second entrance into the arena.
Brubaker said that even with all the adjustments, he expects that the payoff will be worth it.
“I’ve been very pleased with our staff,” Brubaker said. “They’ve been as cheerful as any group of people could possibly be because they appreciate what the college is doing in the long run. This is only a temporary inconvenience.”
“We are being prudent,” Péwé said. “We didn’t start until May and if we kept going now, it would be limited use anyway, so hopefully we can raise something by next spring and do a similar project.”
Currently, there are plans to add locker rooms, a new press box, coaches’ offices on mezzanines on top of the second floor, additional bleachers, a smoothie bar, climbing walls, concession stands, and a second entrance into the arena.
Brubaker said that even with all the adjustments, he expects that the payoff will be worth it.
“I’ve been very pleased with our staff,” Brubaker said. “They’ve been as cheerful as any group of people could possibly be because they appreciate what the college is doing in the long run. This is only a temporary inconvenience.”
