Ball State University administrators and Student Government Association executives are working to create a proposal to expand the university's recreation center.
At a meeting on Monday, the group compared the cost and space requirements for building a new rec center versus expanding Irving Gym, SGA President Steve Geraci said,
Expanding Irving Gym, instead of building a new rec center, would cost considerably less, he said.
The estimated cost of expansion construction is almost $23 million, Tom Kinghorn, vice president of business affairs, said.
Geraci said the rec center expansion would open in Fall 2010 at the earliest.
The facility was going to be largely paid for by student fees, he said. Student fees would increase by $150, and the university probably wouldn't start charging the fee until the 2009-10 academic year, Geraci said.
"The students that are going to be paying that fee are actually going to be using the facility," he said. "I think that students in the future will think that it's worth it."
Kinghorn said students wouldn't pay a separate fee but rather an increase to the existing student fees.
Funds could also be raised from private sources to aid in construction costs, he said.
Geraci said the university would be paying for the project for about 20 years.
As far as space for facilities go, the expansion would be between 100,000 and 105,000 additional square feet.
"The expansion fulfills all of our needs for the most part as far as square footage," Geraci said. "It would occupy pretty much the entire R3 parking lot."
The expansion will be geared toward student priority facilities, Geraci said.
"They're building a sports forum that will give space for intramurals and club sports teams that don't have space to practice right now," he said.
The new facility would relieve wait time and improve student access to recreation facilities, Kinghorn said.
"There is an inadequate set of facilities to address student needs," he said, "and while the facilities are managed well, there are a limited number of spaces available."
Geraci said students would be able to go in anytime and use the new facilities.
A rock-climbing wall and off-campus high-low ropes course are part of the construction plan, he said.
SGA also would like to include a recreational pool in the new expansion, but the pool was not included in the estimated cost.
The expansion of recreation facilities at Ball State could possibly attract more prospective students as well.
Larry Waters, dean of admissions and enrollment services, said while Ball State has nice facilities, they are not up to par with other universities such as Bowling Green or Miami University in Ohio.
Recreation centers are a point of appeal to prospective students, and if Ball State expands its facilities, the university would probably draw more interest, Waters said.
Kinghorn said the new facilities would fill the gap between Ball State and its competing universities.
The next step in the process to achieving the goal of expanding the rec center is creating a detailed proposal, he said.
The Office of Facilities Planning and Management and the Office of Business Affairs will work on the proposal. Kinghorn said more information would be available on the proposal by January 2006.
"There are lots of details to be put together prior to that time, but we did put together a general outline," Kinghorn said.
He said he hoped the proposal would be introduced to the Ball State Board of Trustees in July 2006. If the board approves the project, then the proposal will be sent to the state legislature for approval in 2007, Kinghorn said.
"All capital construction projects require the approval of the state," he said.
If the legislator approves the expansion construction, then construction can begin.
Geraci said SGA's goal was to inform the students and make sure students agree with the expansion.
"It is our job to prove to the state legislature that this is something that the students want," he said.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
