The University of North Georgia campus in Oakwood continues to grow.
Construction crews have demolished eight tennis courts on campus to make way for a new multicourt complex.
That space will be revitalized into four pickleball courts, two basketball courts, two arena soccer courts, two tennis courts and green spaces.
"This is definitely going to open up our ability to facilitate those classroom needs, both an outdoor and as an indoor space," said Derek Leonard, director of Campus Recreation and Wellness and Student Facilities at UNG. "We have the one basketball court inside that our Kinesiology department uses, this allows them on a nice day to take some of their athletic components of the class outside."
Leonard said that once complete, the new complex will cover roughly 30 feet more than the old tennis courts.
The courts were demolished in October, according to a press release from the university. But Leonard said requests for more recreational space have been coming in for longer than that.
"We had a lot of requests from our students to really enhance the amenities and activity spaces that we have for them to utilize," said Leonard. "These tennis courts had kind of been targeted a few years back as something that was in need of a renovation but then not as only something that would serve for tennis."
He explained the renovation of the tennis courts is one part of a master plan for recreational and outdoor spaces on the Oakwood campus.
"Areas that we're considering with that include our field areas behind Hugh Mills and the Nesbitt building, we're looking at the track space, we're looking at the trails that are currently utilized by the community as well," said Leonard. "We're just looking at a few things indoors in terms of expansion to existing facilities and potentially creation of new."
Institutional funds are being used to pay for construction and equipment for the complex, according to a university spokesperson.
The Student Government Association will purchase lights to keep the complex illuminated at night.
Leonard said the public will be allowed to access the complex as well, but university leadership have not decided how.
"How it is made available, whether it be through reservations, just open recreation hours, those things are still under evaluation," said Leonard. "But the plan is to absolutely keep the community aspect in all of our facilities."
The new complex should be complete by April of next year.
A previous version of this story has been updated to reflect that university institutional funds are paying for the complex.
