Rec complex
building history and expansion information
Original Building
- Referendum: February 1976 -- 71% of voting students voted to pay $12/student to retire bonds. Referendum directed that the building be for recreation and fitness purposes only, with no academic classes or athletics. Building opened in October 1980.
- Size: 96,000 sq. feet consisting of 16 racquetball courts; 2 gyms with total of 6 basketball or 6 volleyball, 6 tennis, 12 badminton courts; weight room; combative/cardiovascular equipment room; lounge; 3-lane elevated track, 14 laps per mile; men's and women's locker rooms with saunas; service area; and administrative office.
- Dedication: In April of 1985, the building was dedicated and named in honor of Dr. Chester E. Peters upon his retirement as Vice President of Student Affairs.
Expansion/Renovation
- Referendum: November 1991 -- 81% of voting students voted to re-direct $22.25 being paid for three bond issues (Recreation Complex, football stadium, and student union) to recreation improvements (renovate tennis court surface and lights, expand/renovate Recreation Complex, light playfields, and add irrigation).
- Architects: The Ken Ebert Design Group of Manhattan
- Contractor: Coonrod and Associates of Wichita
- Cost: $8.2 million project ($6.3 million to Recreation Complex)
- Size: Added 77,000 sq. feet to original building, including another gym with 4 basketball/volleyball courts; 4-lane 8 laps per mile track; fitness/weight training area; multipurpose room; video lounge area; new service area; larger office space; training/first aid room; resource room; remodeled restrooms; pa/intercom system; and air conditioning of entire building. Renovated "old" gyms with new floors, new lighting, acoustical ceilings, and paint; changed two racquetball courts to squash courts with glass back walls and resurfaced walls and floors; changed "old" weight room to a table tennis room; converted "old" lounge/office area to stretching/circuit area and new entrance to new track; and resurfaced "old" track. Building completed in fall of 1995.
Features of Expansion/Renovation
- Gym floors - Floors with 9 mm thick cushion pad under poured polyurethane by Connor/AGA.
- Multi-purpose room - Floors with 14 mm thick cushion pad under poured polyurethane by Connor/AGA and DIN rated for exercise sessions. Room can be subdivided into 5 rooms for smaller exercise sessions, clinics, meetings, etc. Ceiling mounted speaker system for the exercise sound system with wireless microphones and remote controlled tape and CD system.
- Track - 4 lanes wide (inside 2 for walking and outside 2 for running) and 1/8 mile per lap. Floor with 14 mm thick cushion pad under poured polyurethane and DIN rated by Connor/AGA. Clock with seconds for self pacing, track open to mall area below with views to outside, rest areas at both ends, and cardiovascular machines in center area.
- Fitness/weight training area plus circuit/stretching area - Over 12,500 sq. feet of cardiovascular machines and free weight equipment. Cardiovascular equipment and selectorized weight machines on carpet. Free weight equipment on rubber tile by Connor/AGA. Over 225 pieces of Cybex weight training equipment (some located in circuit area) and 92 pieces of cardiovascular equipment (some located on track rest areas). Floor level air movement in main fitness/weight training area controlled by moveable/directional air turrets (eliminating need for fans).
- Ceiling mounted/retractable volleyball system - 4 courts in new gym and 3 courts in former large gym with ceiling mounted net supports, positioned "ready for play" in minutes by turning a key switch (compared to old cumbersome system of poles in floor receptacles and stretching net which could take up to 15-20 minutes each to set up). Retractable volleyball system by Quik Set Industries.
- Large multipurpose room that can be subdivided into three areas and the wing areas can be also divided. Primarily used for group fitness with devoted sound system and ceiling mounted speakers.
- Air conditioning - Air conditioning added to entire building, computer controlled.
Award Winner
The Chester E. Peters Recreation Complex received a "Facility of Distinction" award from the National Intramural/Recreational Sports Association in April of 1996. This distinguished award was one of thirteen schools awarded that have been built, expanded, or renovated since 1990.