U of L Starts Natatorium Fund Raising
with Nearly Half of Funds
January 18, 2000
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Director of Athletics Tom Jurich, |
LOUISVILLE, KY -- The University of Louisville has launched its fund raising efforts for a natatorium to be built in Phase II of Cardinal Park on the U of L campus.
Future U of L student fees and a $1 million commitment from the Underhill family has the project nearly half way toward the $18 million price tag of the natatorium, which will be built on the U of L campus at the northwest corner of Floyd and Warnock Streets.
"I take my hat off to the student leadership at this university," said U of L Director of Athletics Tom Jurich. "It started with student body presidents John Cary and Jon Jageman and has continued under Jason French. It's a tremendous statement to have your student body as a full partner in this project. It's unprecedented to have a facility of this magnitude to be erected with the students providing the cornerstone funding."
Nearly $7 million of the natatorium funding will come from U of L student fees, to be spread out over the next 20 years. U of L students voted in the spring of 1999 to allow $15 of their student fees each semester to be earmarked for the natatorium.
The natatorium features a 50-meter, Olympic-sized pool and a diving well. The pool has two floating islands, allowing it to break down into two 25-yard collegiate-sized areas. The pool ranges from eight to nine feet deep with a portable floor within one end of the pool enabling teaching at more shallow depths.
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Members of the Underhill family with
Director |
Seating is available for 2,000 viewers, the largest seating capacity in the state of Kentucky. Also included is office space, separate varsity and spacious public locker room facilities and lounge/observation area overlooking the pool and diving area.
The diving well is 20 feet deep with a 25-yard width, which will allow it to be used for swimming as well. It features two 1-meter boards, two 3-meter boards, and tower platforms with five heights ranging from one to 10 meters.
"Obviously, this facility will make a huge difference in our program," said U of L Swimming Coach Rick Hill. "It will also have a major impact on our community and the state of Kentucky to allow us to host meets and provide swimming facilities for our campus community. It's really built for speed. We took great pains to ensure that this pool will be very fast."
The natatorium is another enhancement to the Cardinal Park area, located on the eastern portion of the Belknap Campus between Floyd Street and Interstate-65.
U of L broke ground on the first phase of Cardinal Park on Dec. 9, 1998, and the project has been on the fast track since. Construction continues on the Ulmer Field softball stadium, track/soccer stadium and facilities building, due to be completed in February.
Additional facilities included in the first phase of the project, which will be completed by summer, include the Trager Family Field, an artificial turf field; Kiel Brothers Courts, outdoor basketball and sand volleyball courts; the Jewish Hospital Cardiopath, a fitness trail which surrounds the Cardinal Park site; a statue of U of L track/football legend Lenny Lyles; and the Fightmaster Playground, which will have equipment to accommodate all children, including those with physical disabilities.
U of L is still seeking $500,000 to complete the $14 million first phase of the project. A fieldhouse is also planned as part of the next phase of the $48 million Cardinal Park sports complex.