Students will have more options at Williams Fieldhouse this fall, after Phase I of the addition will be complete. Phase I was initiated 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 5 with a groundbreaking at Williams Fieldhouse.

Photograph by Anthony Bauer
The groundbreakers included, from left, David Markee, Carol Sue Bts, Pamela Connollly, Phil Garthwaite, Eli Caywood, Eugene Woehrle, and Jared Keehn.

The initial planning of Williams Fieldhouse went to the Student Senate and passed with a 2 to 1 vote. Then in March 2007 it was slated to be in the state’s capital budget.

The planning team consisted of many people within the university, including: Provost Carol Sue Butts, Assistant Chancellor for Administrative Services Rob Cramer, Athletic Director Mark Molesworth and Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs Mick Viney. The team also consisted of three UW-Platteville students, former Student Senate President David Dregne, former Senate Vice President Devine Nzegwu and Segragated University Fees Allocation Comission Vice President Jared Keehn.

The facility was designed by American Design and construction will be completed by PA McGuire Construction from Highland. The addition should be complete in late June or early July, Daus said.

Photograph by Anthony Bauer
Chancellor David Markee speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony.

The Phase I project will include construction of a two-story, 19,000 square foot addition to the Williams Fieldhouse. The student wellness facility will have direct connections on both levels to the existing Williams Fieldhouse. The addition will have a multi-purpose exercise classroom and cardio workout machine area on the upper evel. The ground level will feature space for free weights and weight machines, as well as an outdoor recreation sports services office. Additional existing space will be reconfigured to serve the intercollegiate wrestling program and create coaches’ offices. New bleachers will be installed at Bo Ryan Court which will help complete the improvements made to the court and a new floor will be installed in the Pioneer Activity Center.

“It is great to see the university adding on to the field house to help students stay healthy and taking point to the growing student population,” Shane Reitzer said.

“The student body has grown over 40 percent in the last 10 years. Additions have been made in classroom and lab space, residence halls and Glenview Commons. This space is needed to serve the health and fitness needs of our student body,” Daus said.

Daus said that parking lot 25A will be closed during construction. Inside there will be displacement of equipment, and also reduced offering of equipment once the current mezzanine is removed and prior to the addition.