Students and community take first peek inside new athletic recreation center on campus
Hundreds of students, staff members and public officials gathered inside the newly inflated Athletics and Recreation Center (ARC) for a celebratory ceremony on Jan. 27. Dubbed the Skybreaking, the event was the public’s first chance for a glimpse inside the new facility.
University of Indianapolis has updated and expanded various residential and academic portions of campus over the last several years. However, before the ARC, a major athletics facility renovation hadn’t taken place in over 20 years.
“It [the ARC] was badly needed because the last addition to anything for athletics recreation was in 1984 when we finished the Ruth Lilly Center for health and fitness. At that time, UIndy had 3,000 students,” UIndy President Beverley Pitts said.
Speakers at the event included Pitts, Super Bowl Host Committee Chair Mark Miles, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, Indianapolis Student Government President Caitlin Deranek and junior football player Ryan Forney.
Director of Development Andy Kocher, who served on the planning committee for the event, found the large crowds reassuring.
“When you were standing up on that stage and looking out and saw just hundreds of students and faculty and people out there, that was a really impressive view and sign of support from the campus community,” Kocher said.
Four local television stations were present for the Skybreaking, as well as The Indianapolis Star.
Scott Hall, assistant director of media relations, was grateful for the media presence.
“It means a lot to UIndy as an institution,” Hall said. “There is still some lack of awareness in the Indianapolis community about our institution here. There’s no question that the university could have a higher level of visibility in Indianapolis. It can bring attention to the university, and it really cements our presence in the public’s mind.”
University of Indianapolis President Beverley Pitts, Mayor Greg Ballard, Super Bowl Host Committee Chair Mark Miles and other officials celebrate the release of balloons at the Skybreaking event Jan. 27. The event drew a large crowd of students, faculty, staff, media and members of the Indianapolis community. Following the brief remarks, attendees were able to tour the interior of both the dome and the support building. Photo by Elizabeth Wheeler.
According to Athletics Director Sue Willey, the UIndy Department of Athletics has been in need of the facility for some time.
“What we’re planning on [ARC] would competitively host indoor track meets,” Willey said. “We’ve got 120 kids on the track team, and they really have no place [to practice.] The top of Nicoson [Hall] was not meant to be a track.”
The support building for the dome will hold additional locker rooms, offices and classrooms.
“What a lot of people don’t know is many of our sports teams never had a locker room,” Willey said.
“That support building isn’t just servicing outdoor sports but also opening up space in Ruth Lilly for academics.”
Ruth Lilly has had new classrooms added recently, but the opening of the ARC will make it possible for further changes to occur.
“The Covall Nursing Center will actually be moving to the old multi-purpose room to free up space for other programs in Lilly Hall,” Willey said.
The ARC’s official opening will be celebrated with a similar event.
“It will be interesting to see all the different ways it can be used by student athletes, and students in general, and faculty and staff,” Willey said.
