The Lancer Centre is taking shape and excitement is building as the May 2022 opening date approaches. Faculty, staff, and students are anticipating the opportunities it will provide for campus life and Lancer spirit.

The new centre boasts an indoor elevated running track, triple gymnasium, expanded fitness centre, three additional multi-purpose rooms, and an eight-lane 25m accessible pool. These spaces will join existing facilities like the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse, Forge Fitness Centre, and others to increase the University’s capacity for world-class sport and recreation activities.

Sandra Ondracka, co-ordinator of Campus Recreation, looks forward to the benefits the Lancer Centre will bring to programming and the student experience. In the past, a lack of space has limited the available programming, with varsity athletics and academic functions taking priority.

Ondracka notes that with the additional multipurpose rooms and triple gymnasium, many activities that were previously limited by lack of space can be expanded to provide further opportunities for student participation and health.

“Recreation is more than just sport and fitness. It includes several dimensions of wellness,” she says. “With our new building, we will be able to do so much more for our students, faculty, and staff.”

Accessibility and social spaces are among the priorities for the new building. Accessible entrances, changerooms, and a pool with wheelchair access are among the amenities that will create a more inclusive facility. These new features will open doors of opportunity for both campus and community and help strengthen partnerships both on and off campus.

The new social hub will bring spacious common areas and food service to the facility for the first time. These additions will provide an outlet for students from across campus to socialize and network, while providing additional amenities for varsity sports and campus events.

“The Lancer Centre will be a showcase of the Lancer spirit and will offer students more opportunity to become involved, helping to draw the north and south ends of campus together,” says Jasleen Dayal, president of the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance. “I am beyond excited about the potential of this new facility and I hope it will play a vital role in welcoming students back to campus.”

The partnership with the full-time undergraduate, graduate, and part-time student governments on the Lancer Centre project marks the largest financial student contribution to any university in Canada.

The centre is scheduled to open in May 2022. Information on the Lancer Centre, including construction photos and naming opportunities, can be found at www.uwindsor.ca/lancercentre.