Well-being at the heart of new rec centre

On 25 November, the University opened its landmark eight-floor recreation centre, in the heart of the City Campus.

Covering 26,000 square metres, the University’s new Hiwa, Recreation Centre is home to New Zealand’s biggest-ever gym fitout, an aquatics hall, a rooftop turf and track, two sports halls, squash courts and a bouldering wall.

But it also has all the facilities you might find in an airport lounge, like retail stores, chillout spaces, filtered water dispensers, charging stations and lockers, says Sean Smith, associate director of sport and recreation for Campus Life.

It’s all aimed at promoting what Sean describes as a ‘sticky’ campus, where students are compelled to stick around and get more involved with the facilities, clubs and teams that enrich campus life and ultimately help them get better grades.

The previous recreation centre was established in the late 1970s when the University had around 10,000 students, less than a quarter of the current student population. As a result, activities were increasingly needing to be held off campus when the old facility couldn’t meet their needs.

At the same time, says Sean, the University has shown that students who use campus facilities and engage in activities like clubs and sports teams not only experience the expected health benefits, but also achieve better academic results.

Given that, Sean says getting students’ feedback about what they wanted from the new rec centre was crucial to inform its design.

“We had conversations with as many students as possible, asking what would bring them back to the city, get them to stay here between lectures and become involved in activities on campus – ultimately, what would create a stickier campus.

“What they told us formed the basis for the whole concept and design of what we’ve built.”

As a result, a third of the space is designed to promote well-being and support students’ daily lives, whether it’s the ability to stash gear in a locker, charge a device or meet with friends. A lot of attention has gone into the building’s appearance and finishes, says Sean, to ensure it’s a pleasant space to be in that enhances physical and mental well-being.

That will help link the centre to other aspects of campus life, and on a much greater scale than the previous rec centre could provide; the new building can accommodate 20,000 users undertaking a broad range of activities.

“It’s a place that will create social connection,” says Sean. “We always talk on campus about being a community of about 50,000 people including students and the staff; we’re as big as a city like Nelson, and this will bring a greater sense of heart to our community.”

The University’s sport development manager, Albertine Eaton, oversees delivery of sports events on campus as well as support for high-performance athletes and teams. She notes that the University has continued to deliver its programmes to students during years of the new centre’s construction, but that’s often had to be done off campus.

“So, for me, one of the most exciting things is to bring almost all of that activity back. It also allows us to engage more with clubs that have been displaced by the lack of facilities, and to grow them,” says Albertine.

“And from a personal perspective, being such a sports fan, it’s amazing to work in a massive high-performance sports facility. I’ve had quite a few pinch-me moments walking through the building and being amazed to see it all come to life.”

The facility will also extend teaching and research opportunities, say Associate Professor Alan Ovens and Dr Rod Philpot of the Faculty of Education and Social Work.

“We already have a strong research base, and this facility opens up new possibilities for us to work with many national and regional sporting organisations. That will not only help us provide high-quality support for students coming into our programmes, but also create more connections and research opportunities,” says Alan, who leads the Sport, Health and Physical Education Discipline Group.

Rod, who is programme leader of the Bachelor of Sport, Health and Physical Education degree, says the facility will broaden learning opportunities for students, especially those interested in areas like coaching, teaching and wellness.
“It will enable our students to learn about movement in a whole new range of contexts – in swimming pools, on bouldering walls, on different sports courts,” says Rod.

“Our graduates are required to lead in so many movement contexts, so having access to this new facility will really build their confidence.

“We just can’t wait to get into the space and see what we can do there.”

Caitlin Sykes