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University of Mississippi Builds a New Recreational Center
After years of planning, construction for the new University of Mississippi recreation center has officially begun.
The new recreation center will be located at 927 Whirlpool Drive.
Director of facilities planning and University architect, Ian Banner, said, “Architects are currently working on the designs for the renovation and transformation of the former Whirlpool plant into a new recreation center, as well as the transportation hub. While some of the parking work is already underway, completion is anticipated sometime in the fall of 2018.”
The building will be located where the former Whirlpool plant is located on 927 Whirlpool Drive on the south side of Highway 6.
“The student recreation facility at the Turner Center has been bursting at the seams for a while now, and it was not designed to accommodate the number of students now attending University of Mississippi,” said Jon Scott, Public Relations director of Ole Miss.
Construction has begun for the new recreation center.
According to Scott, some of the older parts of the building will remain, but the main base will remain and be renovated.
The new recreation center will include two basketball courts, one multi-purpose activity court, a climbing wall, cardiovascular equipment, weights, an elevated track, personal fitness area, offices and outdoor recreation.
“The renovation will provide the building with lots of natural light and high ceilings. There will be a feeling of crisp, clean materials and openness,” Scott said.
“The renovated building will have a little more than 95,000 square feet for recreation, 8,800 square feet for parking and transportation offices and 1,300 square feet for food service,” Banner said.
The new recreation center will share the building with a transportation hub.
The transportation hub that is included in the renovation will feature additional parking, a bus stop and additional parking. The transportation hub will share the building with the recreation center.
Many will wonder what will happen to the Turner Center when the new recreation center is finished, but it will most likely stay.
“The Turner Center will remain in use as a recreation center, but eventually, it will need to be renovated,” Scott said.
Jimmy Anderson is enrolled in Meek School of Journalism and New Media. He can be reached at jbander2@go.olemiss.edu.
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Kathy Bull
July 13, 2016 at 7:35 am
This sounds wonderful!! However, what about a 50m pool?? Ole Miss and Mississippi State are the only two SEC schools without a swim team. We are losing instate students, as well as out of state prospects, to other SEC schools due to them having swim programs. What needs to be done for Ole Miss to gain a SEC swim team?