Some come to play. Some come to watch. Some come to bulk up. Some, not so much.
For whatever reason they come, the Activities and Recreation Center is the one place where anyone and everyone can come to relax from the stresses of school, work… and life.
Since its construction in 2004, the ARC has certainly become the social and recreational hub at UC Davis.
“The ARC has become a key factor influencing our student recruitment and retention efforts,” said Fred Wood, the vice chancellor of Student Affairs.
Attracting more than the 1.1million admissions each year for fitness activities, along with another 1.2million admissions for conferences, commencements, concerts, trade shows and other events, the ARC has become one of the busiest venues on campus, according to a Mar.19 press release.
The ARC is constantly updating its equipment to make sure it has the latest technology, said Coulson Thomas, the assistant director of Campus Recreation, who enjoys playing basketball at the ARC. Currently, television sets are being installed on the second floor of the building.
Thomas believes the facility to be the highlight of UC Davis because “it’s a great looking facility and it serves many different purposes.”
In honor of its fifth anniversary, the ARC will welcome its sixth year with a new logo and special promotions that will be given away, starting this Saturday on Picnic Day.
The 155,850 square foot building features, but is not limited to, indoor basketball, volleyball, badminton, racquetball, handball and squash courts, an indoor running track, a large fitness and weight areas and an indoor climbing wall.
Kristen McMillan, a junior English and French major, comes to the ARC to work out and feel good about herself. Her daily routine involves her running a mile on the track, followed by a workout on the Stairmaster.
“I like how the track is strategically placed so we can watch the boys play basketball,” McMillan said.
The ARC also holds group exercise classes, dance and martial arts studios, student lounges with computer terminals and wireless access points – not to mention the newly added Starbucks, along with the Pro Shop sells UC Davis merchandise.
“A recent study demonstrated that most attrition (12%) takes place during the first two years students are on campus,” Wood said. “The ARC’s proximity to our first-year student housing makes it a primary social hub for new students, providing opportunities for them to bond with their classmates and friends, engage with students of different backgrounds, broaden their social networks and deepen their connection with UC Davis.”
Before the ARC, the first recreational gymnasium at UC Davis was built in 1921 behind West Hall. In 1938, the Hickey Gym was built for athletic events, recreational sports, fitness and IM sports. Then, to accommodate for bigger events, from IM and intercollegiate competitions to graduations to inaugurations, the Recreational Hall (now the Pavilion) was built in 1977.
Finally in 1999, UC Davis students passed the Facilities and Campus Enhancement initiative that helped provide funding for the construction and maintenance of the $46.5million facility.
“In just five years, the ARC has become a true center of social life at UC Davis,” Thomas said. “Students, faculty, staff and alumni visit the ARC for fitness, but also consider it one of the best places on campus to enjoy time with friends. With the opening of Starbucks, the ARC has truly become a major social hub of campus life.”
The ARC is managed by the Department of Campus Recreation.
“It’s become nearly impossible to imagine student life at UC Davis without the ARC,” Wood said.
POOJA DEOPURA can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
