New CWU Student Union And Recreation Center Open

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Just more than 18-months after breaking ground for the new facility, the new Central Washington University's Student Union and Recreation Center is open for business. The union portion of the building was opened Monday, April 24, following on the heels of the recreation center that opened on Jan. 3.

Initial planning began in 1995 on what has become a three-story, 228,260 square-foot state-of-the-art facility.

"This is the first facility in the country that started from the ground up combining both a student union and recreation center," says John Drinkwater, senior director of Campus Life and Student Union.

The student union component includes dining services, the Wildcat Shop (formerly the University Store), tenant spaces, a theatre, meeting rooms, student government and administrative offices, and the student radio station.

The recreation center includes a four-court gymnasium, elevated jogging track, fitness/cardiovascular and strength training areas, group exercise rooms, outdoor equipment rentals, locker rooms with saunas and a 50-foot indoor rock climbing wall.

The $41.7 million facility is a partnership between the Wildcat Shop, Dining Services and the CWU student body. Funding comes from a mandatory, self-imposed student fee of $64 per quarter for the student union and $95 per quarter for the recreation center.

While the union is open to the public the recreation center is limited to CWU students and university faculty and staff members who are required to pay a $110 quarterly fee. Daily guest passes are $7.

The new CWU student union replaces the Samuelson Union Building, the first phase of which was constructed in 1926.

Contact: Robert Lowery (509-963-1487/fax: 509-963-2301/e-mail: loweryr@cwu.edu)

Public Relations and Marketing: (509) 963-1493