New Indoor Tennis, Track Facility Opens

The opening Wednesday of the new $3 million Indoor Track and Tennis facility (IT&T) is providing another option for entertainment on the rainy days that have become so common recently.

The modern facility, which contains three doubles and two singles tennis courts and 220 yard banked running track has of yet received only limited use. Due to construction complications the new $1 million locker and shower facilities for women are still not in use, but will open shortly, David B. Matthews, director of Sports Information, said yesterday.

As far as tennis goes, "the big thing is that there are five more indoor courts," in addition to the three Palmer Dixon courts, Matthews said. The tennis season has been extended by ten weeks to 32 weeks this year, but this year there will be a four dollar fee for court usage.

William McCurdy, coach of the men's track team, said yesterday he is very enthusiastic about the track facilities. "I hope we'll be able to say that this is the greatest indoor track facility in the world, better than most outdoor facilities," McCurdy said. The circular track has six three-foot-wide lanes and an additional six straight lanes, so that sprints and hurdles can be run at the same time as long distance events. The track was designed to provide the benefits of both strength and resilience, McCurdy added. McCurdy commented that running on the new track "was like running on cloud nine."

"It is a beautiful looking thing, quite a contrast to the big grungy cage we used before. Now I'd like to add a whole bunch of guys ready to run their legs off," McCurdy said.

Construction on the ITT began in June 1976 and was completed on schedule, this September