Mini-campaign to revamp Firestone Fieldhouse, aimed at providing more fitness opportunities, is underway.
SHANNON KELLY
Perspectives Editor
Pepperdine is five months in to its “Power Up” fundraising effort, aimed at raising $14 million dollars for Firestone Fieldhouse improvements that President Andrew K. Benton said will include a multiple activity court and three smaller fitness facilities for individual exercise as well as group classes.
Benton described this effort as a “mini campaign” — one that he says folds into the planning and silent phases of the much bigger campaign that will enhance endowment and the annual fund along with capital funds for building projects such as the new fitness facilities. The larger fundraising effort will last seven to eight years, while “Power Up” aspires to meet its $14 million dollar goal by 2007 by appealing to alumni, corporate sponsors and people in the fitness industry.
“We see ourselves being successful with that mini campaign, so now we have to go back to the process of getting specific regulatory approval,” Benton said.
Los Angeles County and the Coastal Commission have already approved a 26,000 square foot structural addition.
Practice courts, dance studios and floor exercise space will be included in the 18,000 square foot structural addition to the west side of the Firestone Fieldhouse and 8,000 square feet have been approved to enlarge the area on the west side. Even though regulatory commissions have approved these plans in concept, Benton said they must re-examine site-specific plans for compliance before final approvals.
Benton says he does not foresee actual construction before 2008, but students agree that renditions have been long-awaited and are much-needed.
“The major problem is that the weight room is way too small for how many people want to use it,” sophomore Johnny Kristofferson said. “There are only for or five benches and at certain times you’ll see people lined up waiting to use them.”
Junior Alex Castillo works in the weight room and says he notices discouragement among students. “I have people come down here and turn around and leave because there are no machines available.”
“Every other school I’ve been to has a huge 24-hour Fitness-like facility, while ours is like a basement,” he said.
Benton says he hopes the new Fieldhouse fitness center will signal advancements in the future. “I want students to have the best machines, free weights and athletics facilities, and I want there to be dance, yoga and palates studios because that is what they want.”
He also noted the value of facility improvements for the Division 1 athletics program.
“My dream is that someday we will have an events arena on campus so that we will have a much larger venue for our athletic teams and so we can host regional conferences. Our Division 1 athletics would have a state of the art facility and coaches would have that facility to help them with recruitment.”
Sophomore Michael Gerrity, a member of the men’s basketball team, says that athletics center improvements would benefit the Division I program on many levels.
“A new athletics center would definitely attract more players when they come here for recruitment,” he said. “A stadium is a selling point. It would be good for all of the teams and would get a lot more people out to support Peppredine sports.”
Benton added that the program is not just important to student athletes, but also to students who work out on campus.
“It’s not just athletes we recruit,” Benton added. “We recruit all students, and it’s a very fitness conscious society that we live in.”
With the Fieldhouse renovations in sight, Benton admits his other goals are better described as dreams, but said “A dream without a plan is mere hallucination.”
“We’re beginning to see what’s possible. I know a lot now, from the work we’ve already done. I know a lot is possible.”
10-26-2006