Michelle Norton
Staff Writer
University of Houston officials are one step closer to determining whether UH will build a new recreation and wellness center.
For the next several months, the university will take part in an extensive research study aimed at defining student preferences.
The initial research process began last semester after administrators received numerous complaints about the lack of a general-use recreation center from students, faculty and staff.
To address the complaints, they created the Campus Intramural and Recreation Advisory Committee, which visited seven schools in January around Texas.
The committee, comprised of students, faculty and staff, toured each school's recreation center and compared the facilities to each other as well as to those at UH.
The centerpiece of UH's student recreation facilities is the Garrison-Melcher gymnasium complex, which includes gymnasiums, classrooms, weight rooms, an indoor swimming pool and racquetball courts.
Kathy Anzivino, chair of the CIRAC, said the committee concluded that UH's facilities were not up to par with those of other schools. "One of the biggest differences we saw, for example, was at A&M," she said.
"Their weight and fitness center was 14,000 square feet. At the time, UH had only 2,000 square feet in the weight room on the second floor of Garrison Gym."
In addition, Anzivino noticed the A&M facilities had longer operating hours than UH's.
"They stay open for about 18 hours, while UH stays open only after classes for four hours," she said.
While the tour of the facilities allowed the committee to view the variety of options available, it provided very little idea of what UH students might want in a new facility.
Brailsford and Dunlavey, an outside consulting agency, will organize students into groups of 30 to 50 to determine what students want in a recreation center and calculate projected costs.
The consultants will attempt to determine factors such as whether students want a new facility or the reconstruction of existing ones, and how much, if anything, they would be willing to pay.
At this point, officials say the proposed recreation center will house a sports facility complete with racquetball courts, indoor swimming pools, tracks and weight-lifting centers. However, the specifics depend on student input.
All decisions related to the process will ultimately be discussed by students Aug. 6 and 7 in the campus focus groups.
Erik Thompson, a consultant for D&B, stressed that the construction of a new facility would rest on the decision of the students alone.
"The decision for building a new facility could go either way, depending on the feedback received from the groups," he said.
Once the focus groups give their input to the consultants, results obtained from the discussions will lead to a survey. It has not yet been determined whether the survey will be conducted over the telephone or by personal interview.
The survey will essentially pinpoint the fee rate that the students would be willing to pay for any type of new recreation facility. While the immediate construction costs of the project would be covered by a long-term bond, they would have to be paid back over time through an increase in student fees.
There are three types of fee rates. The first is the most expensive, which would cover a facility with top-of-the-line equipment modeled after the best facilities in the nation. For this type of construction, officials are projecting an fee increase of up to $50.
The second type would model the facility after the best in the state, with a medium fee increase, while the third would include minimal fees, allowing for renovation of the current facilities.
Following the survey, the results will be given to UH officials as the basis for a campuswide referendum designated for completion by November. The project would then be sent to the Texas Legislature for approval.
Students seem committed to the need for change in UH fitness facilities. Corby Windham, a first-year law student, thinks reconstruction of existing facilities is needed at the least.
"We definitely need to update this facility," he said. "This one looks like something out of high school."
Hope Johnson, a graduate student studying health and human performance, teaches in rooms she said are badly in need of repair.
"We need a facility where students can learn in a safe and comfortable environment," she said.
Mindy Walker, a senior marketing major, agreed. "If anything, the rooms where students are taking required classes should undergo some type of renovation," she said.
Walker takes weight-training classes on the second floor of the Garrison Gym. She described the classrooms as dangerous and in desperate need of repair.
"The tiles on the floor are bubbling up, the mirrors are cracking and most of the equipment is not operable," she said.
In spite of student complaints, UH officials say they have made improvements to the facilities. The weight rooms have nearly tripled in size since January with a recent addition on the first floor of Garrison, bringing the total area to 6,000 square feet.
Vice President of Student Affairs Elwyn Lee cited the construction of The Firm health club in the Moody Towers residence hall as an example of how a facility can be built from existing conditions.
"The facility was built out of an old pizza place that was receiving no business," he said. "With ... $100,000, we were able to knock out some walls, install quality equipment and a juice bar."
"We plan to explore all options and are willing to do what it takes to improve the quality of available recreation facilities at UH," Anzivino said.
Any students interested in signing up for the focus groups or student forum should call the Recreation Office at (713) 743-9500.