Backgrounder: UVic Plans Major Upgrade To Athletics And Recreation

UVic students are above-average users of their athletic and recreation facilities when compared to students across Canada. As such, the project will be a tremendous benefit to them. Students will have more opportunities to train, learn, teach and engage in recreation in a setting that has top-notch equipment and offers an environment that welcomes people of all abilities.

The upgrade will reduce recreation waitlists, improve the quality of programs and research facilities, provide training facilities for varsity athletes, and increase UVic’s ability to meet community needs. In addition, the project will help the university retain and attract students—including top athletes—faculty and staff. Current and prospective students list recreational facilities and programs as a major deciding factor when they pick a university.

Improved athletic, recreation, physical education, and related research and educational facilities would give the School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education space to offer bigger programs, do more research, and better accommodate its faculty and staff.

Housing CanAssist, UVic’s leading-edge disabilities support program, in the same facility as athletics and recreation users, including varsity athletes, tangibly demonstrates UVic’s commitment to community engagement and inclusion. By operating within a major hub of the university, CanAssist will be able to provide an expanded and fully integrated and inclusive program for its users while offering faculty and students an opportunity to participate in a highly interdisciplinary program with research opportunities. The project will also give associated community groups and agencies access to meeting space and a centralized community resource.

UVic’s current on-campus facilities include the McKinnon Building (built 1974), Ian H. Stewart Complex (built mid 1960s and acquired in 1991), Centennial Stadium (built 1967), Wallace Field, a water-based artificial field hockey pitch (2008), full size artificial turf playing field (2006), and Velox field (acquired 2004). In addition there is a sailing compound located at Gyro Park in Cadboro Bay. The Vikes varsity rowing teams share the boathouse at Elk Lake as their training base and the swim teams train at Saanich Commonwealth Place.