OGDEN, Utah – Weber State University’s new Outdoor Adventure & Welcome Center will hold a grand opening ceremony Feb. 3 at 4 p.m. The public is invited to join the event via Facebook Live at facebook.com/WeberState/live.
Located directly north of the Wildcat Village residential complex, the new facility will provide easy access to students and community visitors. In addition, the 17,000- square-foot building will host a Welcome Center to help students get oriented and make connections on campus.
“The new center will be an incredible resource for WSU students, faculty, staff and the Ogden community,” said Daniel Turner, Campus Recreation associate director. “It will be a beacon, helping to recruit students to Weber State by leveraging our incredible outdoor resources and helping students create healthy, active lifestyles and lasting memories.”
The new center will allow WSU’s popular Campus Recreation Outdoor Program to expand their equipment rental center, making room for new equipment and improved efficiency for rental pickup and drop offs.
The Welcome Center portion of the facility will serve as a hub for the Office of Admissions to host visitor experiences that showcase Weber State’s connection between education and the environment.
A unique component to the new Adventure Center is a three-story, state-of-the-art rope access training center to train people who work and play on high structures. First responders, public safety, emergency personnel and construction workers will have access to a two-story rescue-training area. They will also be able to use a practice wall with windows to simulate an emergency bailout, a 65-foot rooftop rappelling and rigging area, a training classroom and a three-story catwalk system for rigging to practice all conceivable rescue scenarios.
The facility also boasts a state-of-the-art ski tuning shop as well as a hub for all things related to recreational rock climbing, including a 15-foot bouldering wall and a 55-foot climbing wall.
Additionally, the center will allow the Outdoor Program to expand their recreational course offerings, beginning with a new “Learn to Rappel” course starting Feb. 20. The class is free, but registration is limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. For more information, visit weber.edu/outdoor/adventure-program.
“The Campus Recreation Outdoor Program is an essential component of our students’ education,” Turner said. “From leadership development, to introducing students to active, healthy lifestyles, to applying classroom concepts to real-world application, the Outdoor Program elevates education through high-impact learning.”