Wellness and Recreation Center (1995)

In November 1985, Coordinator of Campus Recreation Ken Green reported on a survey of student recreational opportunities during a two-week period. He found the Dome was occupied with college and high school football games for seven days during the study, leaving the PEC locker rooms unavailable to UNI students. The West Gym and East Gym were used by intramurals and a gymnastics competition held by an off-campus group. Space was especially limited on weekends. Professor William Thrall, head of the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, stated, "A student just lucks out if he can get to his locker to get his stuff. We're not doing enough to keep students here on weekends." The Division of Campus Recreation recommended the campus “design and construct a recreation-wellness center.”

The university scheduled a feasibility study for spring 1986. A committee chaired by Professor Lyle Schwarzenbach was organized in March 1986 “...to identify need and clarify degree of need and interest in such a facility." The committee would schedule its work in four phases: 

• survey the UNI community
• explore the function and form of a new facility
• investigate financing alternatives
• develop a proposal and present a timeline for implementation

In January 1987, the Northern Iowan student newspaper discussed planned construction of the Curris Business Building and its impact on recreational facilities. The tennis courts were located approximately where the new building would stand, and would be demolished as part of the project. Their new location was uncertain. Recreation coordinator Ken Green favored a location adjacent to recreation and physical education facilities, preferably near a new recreation building. He cited the three-phase plan for physical education facilities drafted in the 1960s. Phase 1 was the Physical Education Center and Phase 3 was a large multi-purpose arena, which became the UNI-Dome. However, Green believed Phase 2, which had been drafted as an expansion of the PEC to include faculty and staff offices, locker rooms, racquetball courts and a training room, was incomplete.

In November 1988, the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation developed a proposal for a new facility. Building on increased interest in the concept of “wellness,” school head Thrall stated: “We want to build a facility that offers a holistic and integrated wellness program.” The new facility was at the top of the Board of Regents capital expenditures list by 1991. Early plans called for a 145,000 square foot building with instructional facilities and recreational areas, including a swimming pool, weight room, racquetball courts and a track. The building was budgeted at $16.3 million; $11.6 million from appropriated funds and $4.7 million from student fees. The Northern Iowa Student Government passed a unanimous resolution in favor of the project. 

In September 1992, officials were hopeful UNI would receive $1.3 million for planning in 1993 and construction money in 1994. Director of Facilities Planning Morris Mikkelsen said, "At this point all we have done is the preliminary programming. We're still working with students and faculty and staff to determine exactly what we are going to do." He noted a site had not yet been determined. In June 1993, the Regents approved $1.3 million to proceed with planning for a new wellness building. At that point, the projected budget had risen to $18 million, with about $12.8 million in appropriated funding and the rest from student fees. The building remained at the top of the Regents list for capital expenditures.

According to UNI Controller Gary Shontz, two series of revenue bonds were issued in 1993-1994 to fund the academic component of the Wellness/Recreation Center. In fall 1993, $6,950,000 of 20-year serial bonds were issued with interest rates between 5-8.25%, and in early 1994, $4,665,000 of 20-year revenue bonds were issued with interest rates between 5.25-7.25%. Cash from accumulated student fees was used to pay for the recreational component of the building.

When Governor Terry Branstad visited the UNI campus in February 1994, he commended UNI students for persisting in their pressure to fund the new project. He said, "The students here have taken the initiative on this Wellness Center… I am pleased to have endorsed and recommended funding for the Wellness Center in the budget this year." He urged students to keep up pressure on their legislators to appropriate funds for the work. The General Assembly authorized bonding for the project in April 1994, and Governor Branstad signed the legislation in May. The governor visited campus on May 10 to celebrate the funding measure, which also included money to replace the Price Laboratory School fieldhouse, which had been destroyed by fire.

UNI presented plans by architects RDG Bussard Dikis of Des Moines to the Board of Regents in July 1994. They included classroom and instructional space, a jogging track, rock-climbing wall, competitive swimming pool, and recreational swimming pool. Regent president Marvin Berenstein criticized the plans, saying "I think this is more of a recreation center than a wellness center… As a taxpayer, this seems to me to be a pretty fancy, high-class fitness center." President Constantine Curris maintained the plans were consistent with programming sent to the General Assembly when it was considering the project. Ultimately, the Regents unanimously approved the project plans. UNI planned to open construction bids in spring 1995 and have the building completed in 1997. It would stand around the east and north sides of the Physical Education Center, and include about 107,000 square feet on three levels. 

However, the plans continued to generate controversy. An editorial in the September 9, 1994, Northern Iowan picked the proposed water slide as a particular example. The writer maintained it would be hard for student representatives to protest increases in tuition and fees before the Regents when a $100,000 triple loop water slide was being built on campus. Other student leaders agreed, and Northern Iowan columnist Tim Manuel ironically suggested attaching the slide to the new sculpture and pool near the Maucker Union. However, UNI officials and other student leaders said water slides were no longer unusual features in a leisure pool, and one student leader stated it would not hurt for UNI to be a bit ahead of the curve, instead of well behind it, for once.

In February 1995, head of the School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services Chris Edginton gave a preview of the project design to the Northern Iowa Student Government. He stated, "We wanted the facility to act like a magnet and draw our students to it like a magnet." The Class of 1995 voted to raise $70,000 for equipment for the new facility. By late April 1995, it was over halfway to its goal. 

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on May 8, 1995, with Governor Terry Branstad, Lieutenant Governor Joy Cole Corning, and members of the Board of Regents present. The ceremony was preceded by a 5K Fun Run/Walk. Completion was expected by fall 1997.

Construction by general contractor Story Construction of Ames began in summer 1995. Substantial progress had been made on the grading, footings and foundation work by November. By March 1996, most of the heavy exterior work was complete. Story Construction held a "topping out" ceremony in August, marking the occasion of putting the last major structural components in place. The portion of the building for instructional activities was enclosed, with crews doing interior work. The pool’s structural steel was in place. 

In May 1997, Mikkelsen stated the Wellness/Recreation Center (WRC) classrooms would be ready for the start of the fall semester, but some exterior work and the swimming pools would not be ready until late fall. Classrooms as well as portions of the recreation center, including a gymnasium and a weight room, opened for fall. Due to final discussions, including depth of the lap pool, pool completion was pushed to spring 1998. By January, a total of six racquetball courts, a three-lane jogging track, and a large fitness area were open. Shortly after, the rock climbing wall opened, leaving only the pools to be completed. The approximately 40-foot wall was constructed of styrofoam covered with concrete and modeled after the rock walls in Backbone State Park. 

By late February 1998, a daily average of 1,000-1,200 people used WRC facilities. One student commented, "I love the hours it is open and the many options you have when working out." In summer 1998, activities were shifted to the WRC from the Dome and West Gym due to ongoing renovations. The lap pool opened in late August and the leisure pool opened about a month later. 

The dedication of the Wellness/Recreation Center was held November 10, 1998. President Robert Koob, Kathy Gulick, Chris Edginton and Beth Krueger spoke. Governor Branstad was scheduled to attend but due to weather, appeared instead via the Iowa Communications Network. Members of the rock climbing class put on a demonstration as part of the dedication activities.

In November 1999, the Wellness/Recreation Center was selected from about 85 entries as one of 10 "Facility of Merit" projects by Athletic Business magazine. The award recognized the WRC as one of the best athletics facilities in the United States. In 2000, the Center received an award as an "Outstanding Sport Facility" from the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association.

More information about the services and facilities of the Wellness-Recreation Center is available at https://recreation.uni.edu/facilities.