BOTHELL — A new sports and recreation complex has opened at the University of Washington’s Bothell campus.
The $3.3 million complex covers 2.5 acres and is located behind Campus Way NE, next to the North Creek bicycle trail and campus wetland. It includes a shared soccer and softball field, tennis courts, a sand volleyball court and a basketball court.
Construction began in June and a grand opening was held earlier this month. It is scheduled to be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.
The sports and recreation complex was funded by student activity fees and building fees. It’s for student use although UW-Bothell staff and faculty as well as students at Cascadia Community College can pay a quarterly fee to use the field, said Betsy Brown, manager of recreation and wellness for the university. The field is not open to the public.
“This is going to offer students an opportunity to interact with each other at a way that they haven’t been afforded at this campus before,” she said. “I think it’s going to increase school pride and help students stay around and want to be on campus more.”
Ali Bulzomi was a sophomore at UW-Bothell and a captain of the university’s ultimate frisbee team when she and other captains of sports teams started talking about a sports complex for the campus.
She met with Marilyn Cox, vice chancellor for administration and planning, in September 2009 and shared plans that she and other students had put together.
“I had a spiel written out and a drawing of what it would look like and where it could go,” said Bulzomi, who now is a budget analyst at UW-Bothell.
Cox liked the idea but said the complex should include a beach volleyball court, Bulzomi said. It was a joke at the time but the finished complex does include a sand volleyball court.
“It started off as a small thing but it got really big,” Bulzomi said. “I love it. I think it’s beautiful.”
Kevin King, 24, is a junior at UW-Bothell who is studying business administration and serves as the UW-Bothell Associated Student Body president. He’s used the complex to play basketball, softball and soccer and is looking forward to seeing it used for intramural sports.
“We’re very excited to have had the opening this quarter and to have the students be there and play,” he said. “I think we got the sizing down just right. It turned out very well.”
Amy Daybert:425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.
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