Purdue News

October 26, 2001 New ropes course unveiled Sunday in Horticulture Park WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University student leaders from 10 organizations will unveil the L. Tony Hawkins Boiler Challenge Course in Horticulture Park at 1 p.m. Sunday (10/28). The course features eight permanent ropes course stations designed to provide accessible leadership development opportunities. Groups and individuals have the opportunity to participate in a series of activities involving mental, physical and emotional risk taking. Each station is designed with environmentally-aesthetic ropes, cables and logs combined to simulate challenges found in a natural setting. Traditionally, ropes course challenges are used to increase communications skills and improved group problem solving. This permanent course will complement the Boiler Challenge program administered by the Division of Recreational Sports. The program has used a portable ropes course to work with campus organizations. Student organizations raised more than $18,000 to complete the project and chose to name the facility for Hawkins, the university's dean of students, to honor all the work he has done for Purdue students. Organizations interested in using the new facility or participating in the Boiler Challenge should contact Kathy Lawhead in the Division of Recreational Sports at (765) 494-3111. CONTACT: Tamara Rice, (765) 494-9758, tjrice@purdue.edu; Hawkins, (765) 494-1239. Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page