20A NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN MONDAY AUGUST 13, 2007
》 CONSTRUCTION
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO COURTESY OF KANSAS ATHLETICS
This projected design shows the rowing team's $6 million boathouse that will be built by the Kansas River. The Lawrence City Commission approved a measure that allowed for continued negotiations on boathouse plans. Construction on the boathouse has been paid for by students and Kansas Athletics Inc. There is no timeline for completion.
Boathouse plan progresses
New building to serve as training facility, boat storage
BY DYLAN SCHOOVER
dschooover@ekansan.com
The Kansas rowing team moved one step closer to its own facility July 17.
The Lawrence City Commission approved a measure that allowed city staff to continue negotiations with Kansas Athletics about the planned student-funded boathouse near the Kansas River. The boathouse is expected to cost nearly $6 million.
The new building will serve as a storage area for boats and will provide a locker room and a training facility for the 72-member team. University leaders promised to build the rowing team a boathouse when it began competing at varisity status in 1995.
Commissioner Mike Amyx said completing a new state-of-the-art building on the riverfront would enhance the park along the river.
"There is always safety issues by the river and at night it is dark along there," Amyx said. "The new
facility with the new lighting will bring a sense of safety and security to the area."
Construction on the new facility will be funded by a student fee referendum passed in the spring of 2006. Under the terms of the referendum, students will contribute $4 million to the project. That referendum also calls for Kansas Athletics Inc. to cover any additional construction costs.
Coach Rob Catloth said a boathouse would contribute to the team's success for years to come. Catloth said the new building will have a substantial impact on the women's rowing team as well as the Student Recreation and Fitness Center crew team.
"It will give a feeling of a home base," Catloth said. "It will serve as a point of team unity and certainly boost our recruiting abilities, which is an ease to running a program."
Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director, said KAI expects to contribute about $1 million to the
project. He said that money would come from private fundraising.
Design plans show that the building has two stories, and has also been designed to handle potential flooding in accordance to FEMA's standards. The first floor will contain boat storage only.
Catloth said the new boathouse would hold 72 boats on its ground level with rowing machines and locker rooms allocated to the second level. The crew team will share the boathouse facilities with the women's varsity squads, Catloth said.
The next step for the project is for the University to receive approval to lease part of the park. It must also receive approval from the Planning Commission and eventually the city commission. The city commission did not release a date for these next steps. Approval is expected soon.
— Edited by \revan McGee
> CONSTRUCTION
Weather delays expansion Rec center additions to be completed by May 2008
BY DYLAN SCHOONOVER
dschoonoverkansan.com
The $6.3 million additions to the north end of the Student Recreation Fitness Center will not be completed during the spring semester as originally planned.
The four new multi-purpose courts, expanded 2,000-square-foot free-weight area, and the two new racquetball courts will have to wait until late May 2008, after the semester has ended.
Mary Chappell, recreation services director, said the biggest deterrent of building was heavy rain this past spring and early summer. The increased cost of lumber materials because of Hurricane Katrina also contributed to the slower construction time.
The bid for lumber co.'s was placed before the hurricane struck.
"We are pulling all the pipes and wiring." Chappell said. "We are going to have to close some of the track area in certain places to begin plumbing and electrical."
That track area will be closed temporarily as it expands to stretch nearly a full quarter-mile around
all eight courts. The fitness area used for aerobics, yoga and martial arts also will be closed once the structural part of the new addition begins. Chappell said she hoped to close those areas only during holidays, when the recreation center would not be as busy. She said those areas would be closed at other times as well, but she said she hoped to keep closures to a minimum.
The recreation center construction will bring more to students than just extra space and equipment. Jason Krowe, director of sports programs, said that two of the four new multipurpose courts will be comprised of a synthetic, plastic material that will broaden the capabilities of intramural sports programs.
"Certainly the courts will be used for basketball, but a sport like indoor soccer is an underserved population here," Krone said. "Enclosed walls around the field allow us to look at expanding floor hoc'ey and adding indoor soccer and also possibly rocket hockey."
Krone said 80 teams played sight-on-eight outdoor soccer during the spring semester. He said
he hoped the new addition would allow scheduling for six-on-six indoor soccer during the winter.
Dane Hanson, Overland Park graduate student, said he would jump at the opportunity to play more soccer. He said last year he traveled to Kansas City at least once a week to play in an indoor soccer league when weather turned cold.
"I didn't even know they planned to put in a surface that soccer could be played on," Hanson said. "I think it's easier to injure yourself in indoor soccer, but I'd definitely be interested in playing."
Chappell said the new recreation center would accomplish the goal of cutting down on the wait time people experienced trying to get onto a court or machine. She said it was not uncommon to have to every basketball court filled, with teams of players lined up waiting to get into the next game.
"Functionality is huge," Chappell said. "We're excited there will be more space for more people and more activities."
Edited by Matt Erickson
ACCIDENT
Monster truck plows into crowd
ASSOCIATED PRESS
DEKALB, IL. — A monster truck performing stunts in front of an auto parts store plowed into a crowd of spectators Thursday, injuring at least nine people, officials said.
Two people, a mother and child, were in serious condition in Rockford hospitals, officials said.
Six others, including a mother and her four children, were treated and released, said Sharon Emanuelson, a spokeswoman for Kishwaukee Community Hospital in DeKalb. The other person injured was in good condition.
Another person refused medical treatment, said DeKalb Fire Chief Lanny Russell.
The demonstration, part of a monster truck tour sponsored by Napa Auto Parts, featured the truck
driving over and crushing four cars.
"After its third or fourth attempt of rolling over the cars, and getting back down to the street, it appeared to have lost control and at that point careened off to the left into part of the crowd that was watching the event," said City Manager Mark Biernack.
The truck driver did not appear to be injured. Biernacki said.