Northern Arizona University officials formally broke ground for a $47.5 North Campus Athletics and Recreation Center recently.
Outgoing university President John Haeger said the new facility will accommodate NCAA swimming, diving and tennis programs. It also will meet many campus recreational needs.
It will replace the existing Wall Aquatic Center, which was opened in 1996. That building will be demolished when the new center is completed in two years.
However, the new aquatic facilities will retain the Wall Aquatic Center name in recognition of former NAU attorney and professor Douglas J. Wall, who later served on the Arizona Board of Regents and was considered a “…strong advocate for NAU in all its programs.”
Wall, now retired, lives in Prescott Valley.
The facility will include a 50-meter, 10-lane Olympic size competition pool and a 10-meter dive tower and dive well.
It also will include six indoor tennis courts and several outside courts.
Kathleen Viskocil, NAU project manager for planning, design and construction, said the anticipated opening of the facility will occur in January 2016. FBN