The sports center will close on May 17 for a major renovation. Almost every changing room and sports hall will be fitted with new ceilings, ventilation systems, tiling, flooring and electricity. The festive reopening of the sports complex is planned for mid-August.
`Training and outdoor sports will continue during the renovation,' André Ligthart, assistant manager of the sports center, assures us. `We are working with the municipality to find replacement accommodations for all clubs, for example in the Diekmanhallen. We are trying to find facilities as close to the university as possible. If that's not possible, we'll look a bit further. If necessary, we'll go to Glanerbrug.' Employees of the sports center will remain on campus: they will get temporary offices in Paviljoen or Citadel.
The reception desk will be moved to the clubhouse of the Ludica tennis club.
According to Ligthart, the renovation is long overdue. Over the past few years, any operation to deal with the overdue maintenance was cancelled for want of money. However, the agreement with the municipality, which requires all UT buildings to adhere to strict construction and safety regulations by 2008, has made the renovation inevitable.
Over five million euros have been set aside for the renovation of the sports center. Ligthart: `That may seem to be a lot of money, but it is a costly operation, as you can tell by simply inspecting the facilities.'
Trans. Jeroen Latour
