Work continues on the new Center for Physical Activity building that is scheduled to open in March 2002.
The CPA will have three basketball courts, a 15,000-square-foot exercise room, racquetball courts and a heated pool.
The basketball court will include floor markers and hanging screens to separate the court.
Jon Walker, director of campus recreation, said that this would allow floor hockey, several different basketball games and volleyball to be played at one time.
“They will even be experimenting with indoor soccer,” he said
Walker said that the room that the pool will be in would have large doors that can be opened during warmer days to give an outdoor feel. He said that there would also be a sunbathing area around the pool.
Walker also said that they hope to have all intramurals in the new CPA.
Walker said that any alumni, intercollegiate athletics, physical education, ROTC or University High activities would not use the CPA.
Currently, these activities and campus recreation are sharing Brooks Gym.
In the early 1990s, Dorman Stout, retired vice-president of student affairs, thought that ETSU students were disconnected and that only on-campus students were involved in campus activities, Walker said.
Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee Tech built centers on their campuses and students were more involved after the construction of the buildings.
ETSU President Paul Stanton made the final approval for the construction in summer 1998 and the construction began in February 1999.
Walker said that the center is more than 50 percent complete. He said that the hard part is done. The contractor will have the outside walls and ceiling built so the construction workers do not have to battle the inclement weather.
Campus Recreation currently has five full-time faculty members, five graduate students and 80 to100 student workers. They plan on carrying this number of staff into the new building. Walker said that they would like to have students who would work more hours, because the students currently work 12-15 hours.
The CPA will be open 50 weeks a year so students may use the center at anytime throughout the year.

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