After visiting the Perry Field House…
The Perry Field House is a relatively new facility on BGSU’s campus. Compared to the Student Recreation Center that allows houses fitness areas, the Field House is at least 10 times nicer in my views. The Perry Field House is home to an indoor track, basketball courts, a meeting room, offices, and an inside football field that is made from field turf.
The Perry Field House was completed in 1992 (http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/cac/uarchives/uatour/page49536.html). It does not look as if it is eight years old. Other than the materials inside of the facility, the building looks very new. During our tour with Scott, he informed us of things that he would have done different if planning the design of the Field House. Instead of using the current surface for the indoor track, which over time of running on it, causes injuries to runners, Scott would use a more absorbing material. The indoor track is currently built on top of a concrete slab. Even though the material is of rubber substance, it is still very hard and does not properly and effectively absorb shock from constant running, which then results in injuries to the runners. The most common injuries from excessive running on this track is stress fractures or shin splints. The newer substance of choice allows for more give and lowers the risk of injury. From personal experience, the more comfortable track to run on is manufactured by an Italian company called Mondo. The Mondo Track SX is more comfortable and is not as hard on the runner’s joints. To see the texture of this track, go to http://www.mondoworldwide.com/FlooringUSA_Track%26Field_Products_MondotrackSX_en.cfm.
The one part of the Field House that really surprised me and seemed very outdated was the closet/storage space. The storage area had a couple of fences that were locked and held different items for recreational use. I was very surprised at the dark and gloomy image of this closet. On the north side of the storage closet, there was a messy and cluttered work bench that was full of tools and other necessities that were used to fix different issues throughout the facility. There was also a bucket hanging down from the ceiling that was catching dripping water. Obviously, there is a leak somewhere, that needs to be fixed and poses an outdated image.
The football field has synthetic field turf. The turk was nice and looked very sharp. However, it was very ruff and if one were to fall, slide, or skid acrossed the turf, they would without a doubt break skin, causing blood to be present which is a major health hazard. If the Field House were to have a few extra dollars, they could put it towards a different indoor football surface. One issue arises with spending more money on the indoor football field: the football team only uses the facility a handful of times during the season. It is used more by intramural football teams.
The locker rooms offer a very private area that is very clean. Some locker rooms do not have actual doors to their entrance (BGSU recreation center). The locker rooms inside the Perry Field House have actual doors that make the privacy more effective and convenient. The toilets are separate from the showers and lockers which is an ideal design. The floors are all hard and allow for quick and easy cleaning. The floors also allow for water to be present, which is a hazard if people are not aware and may slip; however most people in a locker room assume there is water in some area and are on the look out for it.
The overall location to the Perry Field House is convenient for those who are not on campus, given that it is right off of Poe and Mercer. However, for students who are on campus, it is quite the hike to get there. Parking is available and the campus shuttle makes stops at the facility as well. Since the Field House is used for other outside events, such as basketball tournaments, it is easy access for the outsiders who are not affiliated with the campus; thus making it easier for them by not making them travel through campus to get to the facility.
In regards to if the Field House allows for expansion and adaptability, I think that it has potential. When the facility was finished in 1992, the building cost $8.7 million to finish (http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/cac/uarchives/uatour/page49536.html). If an expansion were to be planned, I would estimate for the project to be at least the cost of the building initially. Building expenses are much more than 8 years ago, and during the tour, we were informed of the not surprising fact that there is just simply no extra funding for the recreation department.
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