Western Student Recreation Centre up and running at full speed
By Karmen Dowling
Thursday, February 27, 2009
Western President Paul Davenport and President of the University Students' Council, Stephen Lecce get their feet wet in the new 50-metre pool at the official opening of the Western Student Recreation Centre.
The University of Western Ontario’s brand new Western Student Recreation Centre officially opened on February 27 with a celebration and the unveiling of a tribute to the students who made the Centre possible.
The $35.7 million facility opened its doors in January, but some work remained, including putting the finishing touches on the pool. Today, the facility is fully functional and fabulous, said Stephen Lecce, President of the University Students’ Council.
“This is a proud day for Western students,” said Lecce. “Students made a conscious decision and commitment to support the building of the Western Student Recreation Centre, and today, it is easy to see it was the right decision. It’s a great facility that will enrich the lives of students for many years to come and it shows that students themselves possess the philanthropic desire to make our community better, now and in the future.”
Lecce was joined by former USC President Ryan Dunn (2005/2006), who talked about the initial vision for the recreation centre.
Western originally committed $10 million to the project, and in 2006 students held a referendum to approve funding for the rest of the cost. An annual fee of $60 per year will be contributed by students and will increase by three per cent each year.
Student support for this project and for undergraduate and graduate bursaries total more than $100 million over the next 30 years. This record-breaking donation, the largest of any student body to a Canadian University, was announced in January 2008.
“We at Western are proud that this beautiful, highly functional facility was made possible by a very generous gift from our students,” said Western President Paul Davenport. “It stands as a monument to the commitment our students have to Western and to those who will follow them in coming years.”
Davenport was joined by Jim Weese, Western’s Dean of Health Sciences, and Gareth Cunningham, Manager of Campus Recreation.
Dean Weese said, “Experience tells us that high quality programming in an exceptional facility such as this enhances not only physical and psychological well-being of our students, but it really plays a huge role in creating a sense of community. It will definitely make our best student experience even better.”
An art installation was unveiled at the event and will to recognize the student contributions to the Centre.
