pool
UTSA Campus Recreation pool, 1604 Campus
(Photo by Patrick Ray Dunn)

UTSA Campus Recreation receives national award

By Omar Hernandez
Public Affairs Specialist

(March 4, 2009)--If you have visited the UTSA Recreation Center at the 1604 Campus, the immediate reaction to the facility is, "Wow!" And, you're not alone in your reaction --the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) recently honored the center with the 2009 Outstanding Sports Facilities (OSF) Award.

Definitely deserving the award, the UTSA Campus Recreation Center has the highest indoor climbing wall in Texas, four basketball courts, a juice bar, indoor soccer gym, lap pool, lazy river, indoor track and demonstration kitchen. The award is based not only on features, and the criteria are quite tough. Judges evaluate each facility on the intended and actual impact of the recreational program, unique aesthetic or architectural features, innovative construction materials or methods, technological benefits for the customer, and correlation to the campus master plan and mission.

"We are thrilled that the Recreation Center was selected as one of the Outstanding Sports Facilities for 2009," said Campus Rec director Laura Munroe. "We are very proud of our facility and pleased to be recognized by our colleagues as having one of the outstanding facilities built or renovated within the last two years."

Five other schools from across the country also were recognized with the prestigious award. Additional 2009 winners are Colorado School of Mines Student Recreation Center, Springfield College Wellness Center, Stephen F. Austin State University Student Recreation Center, University of Texas-Pan American Recreation and Wellness Center, and University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh Student Recreation and Wellness Center.

NIRSA began presenting the annual OSF awards in 1988 for creative, innovative designs of new or expanded facilities. Winners are considered a standard or model by which other collegiate recreational facilities should be measured and from which others can benefit. NIRSA selects and publishes information on the facilities as a resource for campus master planners, recreational sports directors, designers, architects, contractors and recreational sports students.