The target completion date for the renovation of the Sports Science and Athletic Pavilion came and went Saturday with the reconstruction still incomplete.
The delay has left the athletic department scrambling to reschedule home games and the community disappointed that the center was not ready for homecoming last weekend.
No new completion deadline has been set.
Brian Worley, director of facilities management, said the major reason for the delay is the lack of lights in the Pavilion. Also, there is no air conditioning and scaffolding is protruding over the gym floor.
“I’m pressing the contractors to at least bring in a temporary solution if they can’t provide us with the lights that we ordered,” Worley said.
The athletic programs, such as volleyball and basketball, were optimistic that Oct. 15 would be the date they would be able to return to their home court inside the renovated Athletic Pavilion.
“The delay has completely disrupted our activity in regards to use of the facility,” Athletic Director Chris Ragsdale said.
The renovation got off to a late start from the beginning. Scheduled to start in March, ULV administrators did not have approval to begin until July.
Still, on April 12 a celebration marked the name change from the Student Center to the Sports Science and Athletic Pavilion and the beginning of construction.
The SuperTents will remain, but the inside of the Pavilion is being remodeled. The new Pavilion will include a 25 percent increase in floor space as well as new offices, locker rooms and a fitness center.
As the target completion date was missed, the teams have had to make other plans for the rest of the games this season. Many of the scheduled home games have been played at opposing teams’ facilities. Practices and games have been held at Pomona College and Club West.
“We have now scheduled all home contests away,” Ragsdale said. “While we are very excited about what we will ultimately have, we had hoped that our women’s volleyball team would have been able to play a match or matches in the facility.”
Nevertheless, he added: “Certainly we’re excited about the renovations and the changes, and we’re hoping that we will be back in the facility sooner than later. If we don’t allow these kinds of things to deter us, it’s a lesson well learned.”
There is a live Web camera where students and faculty can check on the progress being made inside the Sports Science and Athletics Pavilion at any time. For more information, visit www.ulv.edu/ur/tours.
Angie Gangi can be reached at agangi@ulv.edu.
Journalism operations manager at the University of La Verne. Production manager and business manager of the Campus Times.