Students enjoy expanded, updated recreation facilities

By Alec Jennings
University News Service
December 4, 2008

Texas State University-San Marcos health-conscience students will now have access to new, expanded facilities at the Student Recreation Center (SRC) boasting almost twice the space.

The expansion, begun in July of 2007, opened Nov. 24 with leisure and lap pools planned to be ready by Dec. 8. The project has increased the size of the center by 96,000 square feet. The weight room and cardiovascular area tripled in size, increasing its capacity to accommodate about 460 people.

Glenn Hanley, director of Campus Recreation, said with growing size of the Texas State student body along with increased interest in health and fitness made the $31 million expansion a priority.

"The current facility was completed in 1994 when the enrollment of Texas State was significantly smaller (21,481) than the 29,000 it is today.  The original facility did not include many areas such as pools, combative area, fitness assessment, golf simulator, cardiovascular area and indoor soccer, which are currently popular," Hanley said.  "Increased participation by students, faculty and staff has caused waiting lines to use the courts and equipment.  Sometimes this leads students to join other clubs in order to participate in recreation programs."

Along with the increased size of the cardiovascular area as well as the weight lifting area, the SRC expansion will also provide other state-of-the-art recreation areas that rival the facilities of other top universities nationwide. They include a more than 52 foot rock climbing wall with bouldering area, eight full-court basketball and volleyball courts, two indoor soccer courts, a boxing area and more. 

"On the opening day students were very pleased with what is now provided for them. The waiting lines are nonexistent now and new opportunities for healthy recreation are being provided," Hanley said.  "With the completion of the renovation, all areas of the campus recreation program will be accommodated in the SRC.  It is a facility that the university and students can be proud of and will provide many years of quality programs and services."