New name, new face
University awaits reopening of Rec. Center
The renovated University Recreation Center is scheduled to be completed by Oct. 31, but will not be open to students until January 2003.
Skiff Staff

Students may have to wait until January to climb, swim and lift at the renovated recreation center.

The $30 million renovations, which began June 2001, are scheduled to be completed by Oct. 31 under Austin Commercial’s construction contract, said Steve Kintigh, director of campus recreation. He said construction company is on schedule, but it will take time to move in new equipment the university plans to add.

The recreation center will include a four-lane suspended jogging track, larger weight room, cardio theater, five gyms and a climbing wall. Outside, the center will have a swimming pool with a tanning deck and lounge for faculty and students.

The center will be twice as large as before, spanning more than 200,000 square feet.

“Our goal is to have a ‘wow’ center,” Kintigh said. “This will be one.”

The remodeled building will also have a new name, Kintigh said. The academic wing facing Stadium Drive will still be called the Rickel Building, but the rest of the facility will be known as the University Recreation Center.

With the Recreation Center still incomplete, students and athletes are left with few university-owned indoor facilities.

Matt Hibbetts, a sophomore business major, said last spring he played pick up basketball games at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. With Daniel-Meyer booked for basketball and volleyball games, he now has to play at friend’s apartments.

“Everything they are doing is great,” Hibbetts said. “But right now we are left with little to do.”

The volleyball team’s season began Aug. 30, but its new court will not be completed until the season is over. Head Coach Prentice Lewis said not having the Rickel is an inconvenience, but they only have four weekends at home. In the meantime, Lewis said, they are able to practice and play their games in Daniel-Meyer.

Current available recreation facilities include the temporary weight room and cardio center located at 2720 W. Berry St. and the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.

Kintigh said students will no longer have to use their TCU ID to enter the academic part of the center, but will need it to enter the athletic facilities.

Cristie Mitchelle, intramural coordinator, said she is looking into reopening the coliseum for students, but currently the facility is booked all day by the athletic department.

With intramural sports about to begin, students can still sign up for a variety of activities including soccer, tennis, weightlifting, kickball and softball. Flag football will be the first intramural sport, with games starting Monday.