NEWS
Ross Family Recreation Center enhances athletics, wellness facilities
David A. Ross’78 cuts the ribbon to officially open the rec center along with brothers Gary Ross and Curt Ross, mother Pat Ross, Dana Crummer, and President Tori Haring-Smith.
The James David Ross Family Recreation Center was dedicated April 28, 2017, with ribbon-cutting ceremonies celebrating the donor-named areas, tours of the facility, and a dinner in the new building, showcasing the expanse of space available. The upgrade to W&J’s wellness facilities was made possible by the generosity of David A. Ross ’78 and other donors. “I have no doubt the new recreation center will help us attract great athletes but most importantly, it will give every student a place to work out and stay healthy and active that they can call their own,” said Ross. Ross named the facility for his father, James David Ross. Ross’s brothers, Gary and Curt, and his mother, Pat, were in attendance at the building’s dedication ceremony. “As an alumnus, a Trustee, and Chair of our Property, Building and Grounds Committee, David has literally changed the face of W&J by guiding the construction of several buildings, through his generous support of Ross Memorial Park, where our highly nationally ranked baseball team plays, and by providing both the funding and the vision for the Ross Family Recreation Center,” said President Dr. Tori Haring-Smith. “We could never have done this without David’s support.” Ross is the founder of Atlantic Realty, one of the largest privately owned real estate developers in the Washington, D.C. 7
SUMMER 2017 MAGAZINE
Left: Project donors Al Lindsay '68 and Ross at the ribbon cutting reception. Right: Project donors Ron Snee '63 and Lindsay (center) with President Haring-Smith, wrestling alumni, and current wrestlers.
area. He has also been instrumental in the construction of the Swanson Science Center and the renovation of Dieter-Porter Life Sciences Building. Built in 1970, the Henry Memorial Center has served as the focal point of indoor athletic and recreational activity on the W&J campus. Since its construction, the College’s varsity, club, and intramural sport offerings have nearly tripled. Facilities have not grown as quickly to accommodate the increased demand for student fitness options. As part of the “An Uncommon Bond” campaign, the College worked towards continuing to upgrade its athletic and wellness capabilities with the second phase of the athletic renovation project breaking ground in October 2015. The Janet Swanson Tennis Center, which opened in September 2015, completed the first phase of this five-phase project. Future phases will focus on renovations to Henry Memorial
Gymnasium, including the addition of a fitness room in the former lobby, and upgrading the natatorium. The center’s construction consisted of two core pieces. The first was the renovation of the back gymnasium in the Henry Memorial Center, which was converted into two floors of coach offices, meeting rooms, a recruiting room, and a state-of-the-art wrestling room. The second segment of phase two was the construction of a 30,000-square foot recreation center on the site that was previously the home of the four-court Swanson Tennis Court complex. The center features an indoor track; three athletic courts lined for basketball, volleyball, and tennis; and an exercise room/yoga studio. The largest available space for yoga classes previously was the ballroom in the Rossin Campus Center, which is also used to host a large number of college events.