History
UNT students considered a recreation center to be a critical facility on a university campus. In fact, the project was initiated by the Recreation and Leisure Studies Society, a UNT student group, in 1997. The idea gained momentum through student involvement and a referendum was voted on by the students and then passed by the Texas legislature, making the Pohl Recreation Center a reality. The need for the Pohl Recreation Center was further documented by a survey of UNT students that showed a need for "a place to be on campus." The survey indicated a critical need for student social and leisure space on campus.
"Student Recreation Center Changes Its Name"
At a special appreciation gala saluting outgoing University of North Texas President Norval F. Pohl on May 12, 2006, UNT System officials joined with members of the university community and students in proposing the renaming of the university's state-of-the-art Student Recreation Center in his honor.
"It is most fitting that the Student Recreation Center - a building in the heart of the university campus, built to promote the physical and mental health of our students - be named for Dr. Pohl, who is widely acknowledged as the "student-centered president," said UNT Chancellor Lee F. Jackson.
In October 2000, the same month Dr. Pohl took up his duties as UNT's 13th president, the student approved a referendum to institute a $75 per semester fee to finance a new recreation center.
From that time forward, Dr. Pohl lent his support to every effort to move the students' expressed desire for a first-class recreation center from concept to reality.
Dr. Pohl stood with student body leaders at the forefront of the celebration when the 138,000 square-foot facility opened its recreational, leisure and social spaces to UNT students, faculty, staff and alumni in the fall of 2003.
About the Pohl Recreation Center
How is it funded?
The Pohl Recreation Center is funded primarily from a student recreation fee of $75 per student, which began in the Fall of 2003, when the building was opened and it is also funded by the memberships paid by the university community. Student who are enrolled in on-campus classes at UNT pay the semester recreation fee through their tuition. This fee is comparable to fees that students pay at other Texas universities for comparable recreation facilities and is competitive with the cost of belonging to a local fitness center. The fee pays for the construction and operation of the Pohl Recreation Center and for all Recreational Sports programs. Thus, every person entering the building must have a membership or pay the guest fee in order to utilize the facility in any way. The building is not funded by the state and there are no academic classes held in the facility.
Description and Purpose
A student organization created a vision for a state of the art recreation facility open to students, alumni, faculty and staff, their families and guests. The facility fulfills that vision and completely achieves its planned usage with a wide variety of recreational activities and programs available to the university community for the maximum number of hours available. Space was programmed according to the vision, with student's recreation and social needs as the priority. Honoring outgoing President Norval F. Pohl, the facility was renamed the Pohl Recreation Center in May 2006.
Function
The facility was designed with a multifunctional approach with spaces allowing for relaxing, social interaction or viewing adjacent activities, and for easy access to other areas. Warm colors were used to attract participants. The building interior is organized around a large two story central space that contains the lobby, weight room, rock climbing area, with the viewing gallery for the gyms and jogging track on the second level.
Informal recreation is the main function, with structured programs, such as Intramurals also as secondary. Control points are located at the front entry to limit access to those eligible and at the corners of the two pools to allow the staff simultaneous visual access to all wet areas. Mechanical and equipment rooms were tucked above and behind functional areas with access that does interfere with the primary use of the spaces they serve.
The floor on the track, weight room, and gymnasiums are the type recommended for that area, i.e. cushioned sports floors. The climbing wall floor is a cushioned floor by Safedek.
The facility has been inspected and certified as being in full compliance with all codes. First aid and automatic defibrillators are accessible for use.
Every piece of equipment was reviewed with respect to the function, cost and longevity, in addition to the most accessible location for its use.
Clerestory roof penetrations allow natural light in the several areas and ceramic fritt was used in the windows to reduce the amount of heat into the building.
Architectural Design and Aesthetics
The design stems from the desire of the university to make the building as open as possible. Students are afforded views into the building through large window openings which showcase exercise activities. The building interior is organized around a large two story central space which contains the lobby and weight room and all major activities are visible. The design is a contextual building complimenting the university's master plan and surrounding campus. The brick color, glass color and color of metal panels match the materials that have most recently been used on other campus buildings. Subtle brick banding is a direct response to the detailing of other masonry buildings.
Extensive use was made of glass window walls, translucent wall panels and skylights to maximize natural light within the facility and to help reduce lighting energy costs.
The primary structural system is composed of steel columns, beams and trusses however a concrete structural frame was used for the natatoriums to minimize the potential deterioration of structural elements due to the corrosive chlorine environment.
Unique Features and Characteristics
The building was designed to have two entries to serve two needs. The primary entry is the only access point into the building, a secondary entry allows access to the competitive swimming pool and indoor soccer gymnasium when the remainder of the building is closed allowing the university to generate rental revenue. The curvature of the track was been adjusted in order to maximize different views to enhance the jogging experience, allowing views down into the weight room, into the pools, outside to the field across the street and around the climbing wall.
The Pohl Recreation Center was designed as a landmark facility for University of North Texas. It is wildly successful, far beyond anyone's dreams. It is well received by the university community, especially by the students, our ultimate customer. It accomplishes all the goals set out for the facility, and it also offers outstanding recreation, social, and fitness opportunities for students, faculty and staff.