Recreational center to begin phased opening of completed areas

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The student recreation facility, soon to be named the France A. Córdova Recreational Sports Center (CREC), will have phased openings this fall with various portions being made available prior to the facility's Homecoming weekend grand opening.

On Aug. 19, in addition to the fitness equipment and activity currently available in the Turf Recreation Exercise Center and Tarkington and Wiley halls, students will have access to the newly air-conditioned and renovated Black Gym (formerly the East Gym) for basketball and the Boilermaker Aquatic Center. Group exercise classes will continue to be available in Harrison Hall. On Sept. 28, approximately 75 percent of CREC will be made available, including the majority of the fitness spaces, six more courts, the bouldering wall and many of the multipurpose spaces.

"With this size remodeling project, a phased opening works better for the coordination of the completion of the work," said Robert McMains, vice president for physical facilities.

The grand opening is scheduled for Oct. 12, when the dedication and naming ceremony will also occur. By that time the remainder of the fitness and multipurpose spaces, the multi-activity court, the atrium track, and the climbing wall will be complete. During the remainder of fall semester, work will be completed on the recreation pool and the feature gym. Additionally, TREC will be converted to an indoor turf center and final work will be completed on the Black Gym.

"With this soft opening, our students will get the Black Gym at the start of fall semester, and we'll have most of the facility open in September, which is what we wanted for the students," said Howard Taylor, director of recreational sports. "We are really looking forward to this year as the facility becomes a reality."

Sources: Robert McMains, 765-494-8000, remcmains@purdue.edu

               Howard Taylor, 765-494-3114, hhtaylor@purdue.edu