The University of Nebraska–Lincoln will complete a five-year, $23 million renovation of campus recreation facilities with the July 13 opening of the Recreation and Wellness Center on East Campus.

The new, $14.89 million East Campus project is part of the “Yes 2 Better Rec Centers” referendum. Approved by UNL students in October 2010, the referendum appropriated student fees to improve the quality of campus recreation facilities campuswide. Other parts of the initiative included construction of the Outdoor Adventures Center (which opened in May 2014) and the renovation/expansion of cardiovascular and strength areas within the Campus Rec Center on City Campus.

For the East Campus project, campus leaders opted to renovate and expand the existing Activities Building. Built in 1926, the Activities Building was used for state basketball playoffs in the 1930s. It also served as a student union until 1976 when the East Union opened. That same year, it became a campus recreation building. The renovated design roughly doubles the amount of space available in the East Campus rec center.

“This is a huge addition to Campus Recreation and East Campus,” said Sherri Tompkins, assistant director for member services on East Campus. “The Activities Building was simply not designed to be a rec center. This redesigned space has so much more to offer and usage is going to explode.”

The renovated space features 56 cardio machines arranged on two levels; restrooms, water fountains and free day-use lockers on three levels; and a centrally located elevator.

Other features of the Recreation and Wellness Center include: a Synrgy BlueSky 360 workout station; strength training area; golf simulator room; group exercise studios; two indoor gyms; stretching areas; outdoor bouldering structure; two-lane indoor walking/jogging track; personal training options; injury/prevention care; massage therapy; coffee/smoothie corner; locker rooms; and saunas.

Campus Recreation will host open houses in the new facility July 8-10. The July 8 event is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is for faculty and staff who are campus rec members. Public open houses are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 9-10.

The Recreation and Wellness Center on East Campus officially opens for use at 5:45 a.m. July 13.

For more information on UNL campus recreation facilities, go to http://crec.unl.edu.