Reaching new athletic heights

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/04/2015 (3829 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Climbers descended from the top of the rock climbing wall in the new Active Living Centre at the University of Manitoba with red ribbon in hand to celebrate the opening of one of the university’s largest capital projects.

The $59.3-million Active Living Centre is now officially open to students, faculty, staff and the community at large. The 100,000 square-foot facility boasts 1,000 pieces of free weight equipment, a 200-metre indoor track, 160 pieces of cardio equipment, a 40-foot climbing wall and more. The space is characterized by an open concept and glass walls allowing natural light to flood into the centre.

The Active Living Centre complements the existing Frank Kennedy Centre built in 1972, which is also known as the “Gritty Grotto” and described by the University as a “dimly lit underground gymnasium.”

Mayor Brian Bowman says the centre, on former prime real estate for student parking, will be a terrific resource for all Winnipeggers to get active.

“The Active Living Centre is simply beautiful and it’s amazing to see this innovative new space complete, and as a proud alumnus and former Bisons swimmer I can’t even count how many hours I must have spent at the Gritty Grotto in the Frank Kennedy Centre and of course in the (Joyce Fromson) swimming pool,” Bowman told a crowd of over 200 people at the grand opening ceremony on April 7.

“Speaking as the mayor of Winnipeg, this new state of the art space is a game changer not only for the University of Manitoba and Bison athletes but for our community as a whole.”

Dr. David Barnard, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manitoba, says the Active Living Centre will also be a hub of academic research into health and wellness issues such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

“These challenges place significant demands on our health care system and cost billions of dollars a year to treat,” Barnard said. “Researchers working here at the Active Living Centre will study these and other health issues driving discovery and insight into their causes and potential solutions.”

To mark the opening of the centre, a time capsule sealed in 1972 with the construction of the Frank Kennedy Centre was opened. It contained a vintage Converse shoe, a U of M jersey and newspapers from the day. A contemporary time capsule was compiled for the opening of the Active Living Centre and will be sealed behind a 2015 date stone. In it are newspapers of the day, U of M gear, as well as an order of french fries from a fast food joint as a reminder to avoid unhealthy foods in the future.

Funding for the Active Living Centre came from all three levels of government, with the City of Winnipeg contributing $2.5 million from the sale of the Canad Inns Stadium site. Together the federal and provincial governments contributed $20 million under the Provincial-Territorial Base Fund.

The remaining $36.8 million was funded by the University of Manitoba.

Designed by Osborne Village-based Cibinel Architects Ltd., the Active Living Centre is also silver LEED certified for environmental sustainability.

For more information about the Active Living Centre go to umanitoba.ca/activelivingcentre

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