Cheers from the estimated 200 attendees could be heard echoing throughout the building as the Walter Fieldhouse was officially opened to the public on Monday.
Cheers from the estimated 200 attendees could be heard echoing throughout the building as the Walter Fieldhouse was officially opened to the public on Monday.
The ceremony was opened by Ohio University Vice President for Student Affairs Ryan Lombardi and cadets from the Army ROTC who presented the colors.
“It is truly a building for all Ohio University students,” Lombardi said. “This facility really does represent what we stand for at Student Affairs, which is the students.”
Students from some of the various organizations and groups that will use the fieldhouse — including varsity athletes and campus recreation workers — were in attendance. Donors and other campus officials also attended the event.
The ribbon cutting — by President Roderick McDavis and the benefactors — culminated several years of fundraising and construction, which included multiple delays.
The facility was initially supposed to be open in the fall of last year.
The facility cost $12.5 million. The university began receiving $1 million annual installments from the $8 million lead gift for the fieldhouse gift in 2011.
Bob and Margaret “Peggy” Walter announced their donation in 2010. The university issued $10.5 million in debt to pay for the facility’s construction.
Ohio Bobcat Cheerleaders ran through the fieldhouse eliciting cheers from the crowd. Members of the Singing Men of Ohio’s Section 8 sang the National Anthem.
“This facility will allow for that engagement for our students inside and outside the classroom,” Lombardi said.
Jim Schaus, Director of Athletics, said the vision for the fieldhouse started in 2007 with fundraising taking place from 2008 to 2012.
“Students must always be our primary goal and objective; Walter Fieldhouse does just that,” Schaus said.
McDavis also spoke at the event and stressed the importance of the facility and how it would benefit the community.
“Today is a very important day in the history of Ohio University,” McDavis said.
“We wanted the grand opening of the Walter Fieldhouse to be on this day … to create a better learning community at Ohio University.”
The conscience decision to open the facility on the first day of classes was to symbolize not only the start of a new year of school but also the commitment the school has to the community, McDavis said.
According to McDavis, 475 donors made gifts and pledges totaling $11.15 million toward the project, which also includes gifts from alumni of all 10 academic colleges.
“I want to personally recognize two personal friends and friends of Ohio University — Bob and Peggy Walter, whom the Walter Fieldhouse is named after.”
This is the third university building named after the Walters, succeeding the Walter International Education Center and the Margaret M. Walter Hall.
“Starting today, our donor support for Walter Fieldhouse will positively impact the lives of thousands of OU students,” McDavis said. “It will become a facility that is never quiet.”
@W_GIBBS
WG868213@ohio.edu
