The Kirk Gardner athletic complex and the new Wayne State College  

Recreation Center has been in the works since the spring of 2024, but few updates have been given to students and the public.  

The WSC Recreation Center was built in 1987 and has been undergoing remodeling since spring of 2024. Since construction began, few updates have followed. Although students haven’t had many updates, Mike Grosz, director of sports information, said that Mike Powicki, athletics director and Kyle Nelson, WSC facilities director, have had weekly meetings with the engineers and construction company working on the remodeling to stay updated throughout the whole process. 

According to the project timeline the construction company had many issues with rainfall throughout the spring and summer. As a result, there have been delays in the dome inflation and making the area watertight. The dome inflation has been pushed back to October 28, and then the dome opens to the public on Dec. 18. The Recreation Center is set to open on the first day back from winter break on Jan. 13. These dates will depend on the weather. 

Originally the dome was set to be finished back in January of 2024, but they had run into a few issues and couldn’t get the blowers to help inflate the dome. That pushed us back to August, since the construction workers could not do much in the wintertime. Once again, when they went to work on the dome in the summer, Wayne had a downpour of rain. The continued rain affected the final design plans for the dome, and they ended up having to change the base under the track from asphalt to concrete.  

Head cross country and track coach, Marlon Brink, weighed in on the situation, saying that all good things are worth waiting for. 

“It did change a few things for us,” Brink said. “We had planned to have a meet Dec. 7 and Jan. 11. What I’ve been telling people about the whole project is, it’s kind of like waiting for Christmas. You know it’s coming, and you know it’s going to be great.” 

Brink and Powicki have both confirmed that the track team has a plan for winter training. The WSC track team has a contract with Mount Marty University, where the sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers will practice on their campus in Yankton, South Dakota once a week and rent out a three-hour time slot. Coach Brink explained that it’s not ideal or perfect in any way, but it’s a situation where the athletes and students must take the bad with the good.  

There has been a lot of confusion among students about who will be able to use the updated facilities when they are opened. Powicki explained that both the dome and the Recreation Center will be open to all WSC students, but with set times blocked out for groups, clubs and athletics. 

“When each facility is open for WSC use, that means we can schedule these facilities at our discretion,” Powicki said. “We do plan to have open times for students, groups and clubs to be able to schedule activities in the dome. What that will exactly look like is too be determined as we work through opening that facility. The Recreation Center’s primary use will be for our general student population. We intend to keep athletics activities out of the facility as much as possible.” 

There have been consistent rumors about the dome and its opening dates, but the athletic department is very adamant about making sure the facilities are ready for use as soon as possible, while taking as few shortcuts as possible to give athletes and students the best experience.  

A lot of students are split on how they feel about the delay of the dome and Recreation center. Senior Andrew Wyllie agrees with Brink about the importance of keeping optimism and looking at the bright side.  

“The postponement has been disappointing,” Wyllie said. “But we’re very happy with the progress we’ve seen recently and are excited to see it up as soon as possible.” 

A few freshmen have been frustrated, since they were told they would be practicing in the dome over the winter and that it would be done by the time they arrived on campus. Freshman Kaylea Bruxvoort has opened about her feelings toward the situation. 

“It’s been frustrating as a freshman that was promised a dome before she got here, but we’ve got to deal with what we got,” Bruxvoort said.