After a two-year renovation, the Bill Garrett Fieldhouse reopened fully Aug. 24 with new accessibility features, improved infrastructure systems and new gym equipment.
To improve accessibility, an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant entrance was built on the east side of the building and an elevator was installed, connecting the academic wing to the cardio room a floor above and the fitness center a floor below.
Nick Hillman, a professor in the School of Education, plays pickup basketball at the fieldhouse twice a week. He said the fieldhouse is “nicer” than before the renovation. He particularly likes the new entrance and lockers.
But Hillman also said the facilities aren’t what’s most important to him while playing basketball; for him, it’s all about community.
“I could play on a dirt court, I don’t care,” he said.
IU freshman Brandon Alfred said one of the things that draws him to the fieldhouse is the many basketball courts and the opportunity to meet new people while playing. He said the fieldhouse is “set up really well.” Junior Braylon Cornwell said he prefers the fieldhouse to the Student Recreational Sports Center because of the larger number of basketball courts available at the fieldhouse.
Courts throughout the fieldhouse were refinished, and new wall pads and stereo systems were installed. Another new addition was automatic towel drops, where users grab a clean towel from the top of the machine and put it into the bottom section by way of a slot in the front when it’s dirty.
Both of the gyms in the fieldhouse were also updated, senior and fieldhouse employee Collin Clark said. Clark said all the gym equipment is new and the gym now includes new types of equipment, such as cable machines.
The upstairs and downstairs gyms have much of the same equipment, but the upstairs gym is also fitted with two basketball courts and the downstairs gym has a stretching space on the floor.
Clark said the upstairs gym had a wall separating the cardio section from the strength training section, which was demolished during the renovation.
Clark said the fieldhouse still has less traffic than the SRSC, something he makes the most of.
“It’s still not super busy, so a lot of people are taking advantage of that,” Clark said. “They come over here and get a workout in without waiting for five or ten minutes on every machine.”
The fieldhouse also has similar equipment to the SRSC, making it less of a time commitment to exercise at the fieldhouse.
“I can get a quick and efficient workout in in 45 minutes to an hour,” he said.
Beyond the athletic areas, IU Capital Planning and Facilities also updated the part of the building used for academics. This part of the building primarily houses classrooms and School of Public Health faculty offices.
While a few signs of construction are still around the building, such as construction equipment underneath a staircase and workers carrying ladders, the fieldhouse is open to the public again.
Hannah Laughlin, associate director of IU Recreational Sports, said in an email that her department is working on some smaller construction work at the fieldhouse, which is separate from the main renovation project.
The ongoing work involves installing new digital screens and branding highlighting historic elements of the building, as well as a final court refinishing project that will take place over winter break.
The Bill Garrett Fieldhouse and SRSC are open daily and more information about hours can be found here.
