U of Winnipeg opens $40M athletics complex

The University of Winnipeg officially opened its multi-million-dollarathletics complex on Tuesday.

The $40-millionUnited Health and RecPlex, locatedon Spence Street directly behind the CBC building, has been under construction since September 2012.

• Construction on U of W athletics complex to begin
• UWinnipeg to build athletics fieldhouse

Primarily an athletics complex, the 189,000-square-footfacility also hasclassroom space for athletics and kinesiology students. The U of W bills it as a "teaching,training, recreational, and multi-purpose facility" forstudents, athletes, staff, and the community.

Funded in part by the province and City of Winnipeg, therecplexis to be operated on a "community-use protocol" that ensures inner-city neighbourhood children and organizations have access to it.

The U of Whas, for many years, supported youth sporting teamsin partnership with organizations such as the Spence Neighbourhood Association and the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba.

"This is a world-class facility that gives youth a safe place to play and thrive, said U of W president LloydAxworthy.

Many of the children and teenagers in this neighbourhood are new immigrants facing language and financial barriers and Indigenous youth.We are creating a respectful and inclusive environment for all.

"Just as importantly, our students and faculty have gained an important new resource on campus, with access to hands-on academic and community-based research opportunities and new practicum experiences.

Therecplexcontains three-cross fields, a gymnasium,multi-purposeroom, 60-metre sprint track for use in student intramural programs, and university and community-based teams.

The facility will provide a new indoor training and practice space for all U of WWesmen teams, in particular the soccer teams. The 55-by-90-metre soccer pitchmeets minimum FIFA standards.

The field will also accommodate other sports such as football, ultimate, rugby, and lacrosse.

The Wesmen baseball teams also have new indoor training space in the complex, with retractable batting cages.

In all, the complexincludes:

• Alarge multi-use artificial turf field.
• Afour-lane rubberized sprint track.
• Acommunity gym/meeting space.
• A jump pit.
• Retractable batting cages.
• Multi-purpose room with climbing wall.
• Great-West Life Healthy Campus and Research Centre
• Student lounge.
• Food and beverage kiosks
• Underground parkade for 194 vehicles and 56 bicycles.