UCF Women's Rowing team awaits completion of new facility
Andrea Canterbury
Issue date: 7/24/08 Section: News
Members of the UCF Women's Rowing team are eagerly awaiting completion of the $2.5 million Intercollegiate Rowing Center on Lake Pickett Road.
The Center is designed by HOK Architects and will be set on the South shore of Lake Pickett, which is located just East of UCF's main campus.
"I know that from day one when they started construction, there was so much excitement and chatter from the team about what was going on, how long it would take and when can we move in," said Tara Rogers, a senior and team captain. "I really think it'll help our team because we'll have a home. We'll have a place where we can come back to after a regatta, put our equipment away and know that it's safe and that we have the best facilities and opportunity that we could have to be the best team for UCF."
The new facility has been in the works for more than five years and is scheduled to be completed in mid-September, just in time for the team's inaugural season.
The center will consist of two parts: the boathouse and the clubhouse. The new boathouse will be about 12,000 square feet and will house the team's boats in bays. Paul Bender, the director of Capital Projects for Athletics, which is leading the construction effort, said the about 6,000 square foot clubhouse will have a meeting room, offices, on-site showers and an erg room where they can practice rowing on erg machines. An erg machine is described as a "rowing on land" machine that helps players practice their rowing techniques.
"It's a long time coming," Bender said. "I've been here since 2001. There's always been talk about the rowing facility being built and it finally coming to life is definitely gratifying to me personally. But it's been a long time coming and I'm glad to see it coming true."
The new facility comes at the end of a very successful season, but one where teammates worked out together on one area of campus and stored their equipment on another, having to travel 15 minutes or more in between practice and locker room locations.
The Center is designed by HOK Architects and will be set on the South shore of Lake Pickett, which is located just East of UCF's main campus.
"I know that from day one when they started construction, there was so much excitement and chatter from the team about what was going on, how long it would take and when can we move in," said Tara Rogers, a senior and team captain. "I really think it'll help our team because we'll have a home. We'll have a place where we can come back to after a regatta, put our equipment away and know that it's safe and that we have the best facilities and opportunity that we could have to be the best team for UCF."
The new facility has been in the works for more than five years and is scheduled to be completed in mid-September, just in time for the team's inaugural season.
The center will consist of two parts: the boathouse and the clubhouse. The new boathouse will be about 12,000 square feet and will house the team's boats in bays. Paul Bender, the director of Capital Projects for Athletics, which is leading the construction effort, said the about 6,000 square foot clubhouse will have a meeting room, offices, on-site showers and an erg room where they can practice rowing on erg machines. An erg machine is described as a "rowing on land" machine that helps players practice their rowing techniques.
"It's a long time coming," Bender said. "I've been here since 2001. There's always been talk about the rowing facility being built and it finally coming to life is definitely gratifying to me personally. But it's been a long time coming and I'm glad to see it coming true."
The new facility comes at the end of a very successful season, but one where teammates worked out together on one area of campus and stored their equipment on another, having to travel 15 minutes or more in between practice and locker room locations.