News

news-UNITED Health and RecPlex

Background - UNITED Health & RecPlex

• Total scope of project is 189,000 square feet, on Spence Street between Ellice and Portage

• Complex construction and renovation is $40 million

• Duckworth Centre renovations, including creation of the Health, Wellness and Healing Centre, to be completed by fall 2014

• RecPlex construction begins fall 2012 for completion by fall 2014

• New underground parkade will accommodate approximately 200 vehicles
  

• The University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation is spearheading development of the project; the architect is Number TEN Architectural Group; the project manager is Resolve Group Inc.; construction is by PCL Construction Canada Inc; tree salvaging and recycling is by Wood Anchor

• Energy efficient with targeted Silver LEED construction

• new three story structure with approximately 179,000 square feet

• large multi-use artificial turf field that can be converted to three cross court fields

• will accommodate soccer, football, ultimate, baseball and other field sports

• regulation four-lane 60 meter rubberized sprint track

• retractable batting cages and a practice gym

• two multi-events rooms, including a soundproofed room for drumming and pow wow groups, with ventilation to accommodate smudging

• studio for activities such as yoga and dance

• multi-media lounge space for students and visitors

• food and beverage kiosks
  

• renovating 10,00 square feet of three story Duckworth Centre

• houses the new Faculty of Kinesiology and its academic and athletic programs

• clinic with primary health care for students, staff and local community members and athletic therapy and massage therapy including sports medicine

• traditional and alternative healing services

• pharmacy including athletic therapy supplies

• new Lifespan Physical Activity and Health Research Centre containing: (pending approval by the University's Senate):

• The Head's Up Concussion Institute

• Institute for Inner-City Youth Sport Development

• Health and Education Research Institute

• Nutrition Counselling and Obesity Treatment Program

• Diabetes Awareness and Education

• Fitness and Motor Performance Assessment and Counselling ….over...
  

• Creates recreation and wellness destination for the inner-city with collaborative Community Charter guaranteeing access for community youth

• Augments UWinnipeg's developing multidisciplinary healthy campus initiative

• Enhances student sports programs, including upgraded facilities for Wesmen athletes and increased intramural sport programming for UWinnipeg students and staff

• Increases UWinnipeg's Inner City Wesmen sports program allowing hundreds of area youth to play basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball, wrestling and other sports at no cost (program supported by private donations to UWinnipeg's new Sport For All Fund)

• Creates new research, teaching and student practicum and employment opportunities for all faculties and specifically in UWinnipeg's new Faculty of Kinesiology

• Offers new home for UWinnipeg's popular Eco-Kids Summer Camp which attracts 1,200 inner-city children annually (free camp - supported by private donations)

• Offers Collegiate and Model School students new facilities and enhanced recreation programming (UWinnipeg's high school on campus)

• Adds much needed, centrally located, state-of-the-art soccer facility available for rent to numerous Winnipeg sports groups

• In August 2010, The City of Winnipeg pledged $2 million toward the project

• In June 2011, The Province of Manitoba committed $15 million to the project
  

• In June 2011, the University, with a broad coalition of youth-serving agencies, held an open Town Hall to help develop Community Charter Principles, ratified by UWinnipeg's Board of Regents on June 18, 2012. The Community Charter ensures access to community activities in the UNITED Health & RecPlex
  

• In fall 2011, UWinnipeg's Board of Regents ratified a student referendum approving a student athletic fee of $30 per term to support construction of the new facility
  

• In February 2012, UWinnipeg's Wesmen Men's and Women's soccer teams accepted into the Canadian Interuniversity Sport - Canada West Conference, effective spring 2012
  

• By June 2012, UWinnipeg is supporting 11 youth community sports teams under the Wesmen umbrella in partnership with community organizations and private donors including a new inner city summer soccer league, a first for children in central Winnipeg

• On July 1, 2012, UWinnipeg's new Faculty of Kinesiology is officially launched, with Dr. David Fitzpatrick as the inaugural Dean
  

• September 6, 2012, official sod-turning ceremony for the UNITED Health & RecPlex takes place on Spence Street