South of Highway 6 on Chucky Mullins Drive site the South Campus Recreation Center will open for the summer of 2018. (Photo by Kamera Griffin)
Ole Miss will add 1,000 student parking spaces at the new campus recreation facility near Whirlpool trails for summer 2018.
Although the Turner Center will remain the “on-campus” recreation building, the new South Campus Recreation Center will let students park and work out off campus.
“It will be a major parking and transportation facility,” Ian Banner, director of facilities planning, said. “It means people won’t have to drive to campus if they wish to leave their car at the Rec Center.”
Demolition at the former Whirlpool factory south of Highway 6 on Chucky Mullins Drive site began at the beginning of August to tear down the existing structure to make room for the new building.
The South Campus center will feature a large cardiovascular workout space, climbing wall, two basketball courts, one multi-purpose court, indoor running track, changing rooms, offices, administrative space for recreation and parking and transportation staff, a bus stop and parking for 1,000 vehicles.
“The reason for building it is because the existing Turner Center is fully occupied,” Banner said. “The new facility will help in taking the pressure off the Turner Center.”
The design of the finished building has been in the planning process for several months now. After details are finalized, the recreation center is expected to take anywhere from 1 year to 15 months and an estimated $32 million to complete, according to a university statement released on Aug. 8, 2016.
The new recreation center is also expected to meet overflow to better serve the recreational and wellness needs of Ole Miss. South Campus will be available for students, faculty, staff, alumni and Oxford community members.
Campus Recreation Director Peter Tulchinskysaid the South Campus Recreation Center will meet the university’s recreational facility needs, specifically for additional fitness space.
“The facility will be a dynamic environment that will be a gathering place for our community, a place that promotes lifelong well-being,” Tulchinsky said. “It will also be a showcase facility for our campus that will assist with the recruitment and retention of students.”
Emily Howland, a junior recreation management major, said she hopes the facility will be a resource for people to get out of their comfort zones and be a space where the students can become more involved.
“I think it is great,” Howland said. “We need a lot more space to accommodate all the new students (the university has) been getting.”
