Calvin College is planning a major expansion of its physical education and athletic facilities, the biggest building project in school history.

The expansion, which has been a topic of discussion at Calvin for close to a decade, was approved this past weekend by the college's 31-member Board of Trustees. Calvin hopes to break ground on these projects in spring 2007 (assuming the necessary zoning approvals are granted) and anticipates beginning to use the facilities in fall 2008.

The new aquatics center will also be a multi-use facility. It will feature a pool that will be 50 meters long and 25 yards wide. That size will give Calvin significant flexibility as a moveable bulkhead in the water will be used to create areas that can be used for a wide variety of simultaneous activities, everything from college, high school and age-group swim meets, including diving, to water polo matches, water aerobics classes, swim lessons and more.

"This exciting new facility will be a boon not only for our emerging national class swimming and diving programs, but at the same time, we'll be able to provide for continuous recreational and work-out space for our Calvin students, faculty and staff," says Calvin vice president for advancement Dirk Pruis, a former All-American diver for Calvin. "In addition, we'll be able to expand our strong summer programs, team offerings and more. We recognize that there has been limited access to our current natatorium, and we believe that with a new aquatic center use will increase exponentially."

He says the new buildings and renovations will come not a moment too soon for the department, which has grown to almost 200 students who are HPERDS majors and minors (in such areas as exercise science, sports management, therapeutic recreation, dance and more).

In addition the department runs a very popular intramurals program which last year saw 2,644 participants and an extensive athletic program which last year was home to 461 athletes who competed in 17 varsity sports, five junior varsity sports and three club sports.

"The present building was not designed to accommodate the number of students, faculty and academic programs we currently support," he says. "The new and renovated facilities will provide a quality educational environment where students and faculty can develop their knowledge and skills in health education, exercise science, teacher education, sports management and recreation leadership."

To meet the needs of the entire Calvin community the upcoming expansion features a five-pronged plan, including:

1) a new arena
2) a new indoor track and tennis center
3) a new aquatics center, featuring a 50-meter by 25-yard pool
4) a new student health center
5) a significant renovation of the current Calvin Fieldhouse, resulting in a new health and recreation center

Much of the money has been raised already to fund the entire complex, but Calvin officials declined to name donors at this date, noting that some of the donors are not yet ready for their names to be made public. Calvin plans to release the names of the major donors to the project later in the year.

The centerpiece of the newly approved project will be a new arena, tentatively set for a seating capacity of 5,000. It will measure some 175,000 square feet and will replace the Calvin Fieldhouse, which was built in 1965, as the homecourt for the school's Division III men's and women's basketball teams and women's volleyball team. That arena will be located almost directly east of the current fieldhouse on what is currently a small, multi-use athletic field (the location was chosen to minimize intrusion into a diverse woodlot that sits north and east of the current Calvin Fieldhouse).