Hansel Tookes Recreation Center has become the anchor of Wahnish Way and Osceola since opening its doors in 2006. However lately, the facility has faced issues with their Student Government Association allocated budget and it can be shown in the their declining hours of operation.
Hansel Tookes Recreation Center is one of FAMU’s biggest campus amenities and currently holds approximately 25 percent of Florida A&M University’s annual budget. However this facility, just like any other, started off as a conversation.
“It all started probably in 1994 as a conversation, a personal notion that FAMU would be a better University if we had a Rec Center,” said the Director of Campus Recreation, Bob Carroll.
Carroll said he debated this idea and played it over in his head for about two years and didn’t express this idea to anyone else except for his neighbor, until 1996 when he formed a committee with the current president and Director of the Student Union.
“I got an audience with Dr. Fred Humphries, who was the president at the time. On Aug 22, 1996 at 3 p.m., myself and Colonel Joe [Direct of Student Union], and Humphries met. And part of that meeting entailed us going over to the Leach Center at Florida State.” Said Carroll.
In this meeting Carroll disclosed that while they were there, Humphries came across three of his fraternity brothers that were enrolled at FAMU and asked, “What are you guys doing over here?” To which they responded, “It’s a nice facility and FAMU doesn’t have one…”
“I think, I can’t say but that along with some other things probably influenced Dr. Humphries. So he agreed that it would be advantageous to FAMU to have a facility.
The facility opened its doors on May 15, 2006 and on October 23, 2009 the Recreation Center hosted a Naming Ceremony. The center was named after the late Hansel E. “Tootie” Tookes Sr.
According to the Student Recreation Center Naming Program, “[Tookes] a longtime Florida A&M University athletic administrator and educator was a legend in the life of the university serving as the Director of Athletics, professor of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Department and overseeing the FAMU Intramural Department during his career with the University.”
In April of 2011, FAMU opened Phases II and III of the Hansel Tookes Recreation Center. The Phase II of this renovation included two indoor basketball courts, two racquetball courts, a wellness suite and an indoor rock-climbing wall. These additions cost about $2.7 million.
The Phase III addition cost approximately $5 million for outdoor add-ons, which included three basketball courts, two turf flag football fields, a softball and baseball field, two sand volleyball courts, a field house and a pavilion.
According to Carroll, the decision to renovate was “something that was necessary.” Despite the facility being well-maintained, the majority of the equipment was dated and because there was new equipment out there, it was time for an upgrade.
“When you’re trying to attract new students and keep the existing clients happy… that’s the only way you can stay competitive.” Carroll said.
FAMU student, Jordan Smith, is a current existing client who is hopeful to see some new equipment very soon.
"I think they could have better machines, more advanced machines, and more free weights to use for people that are more advanced in their workouts," Smith said.
The National Intramural Sports Association (NIRSA) polled 33,500 students and found that 75 percent of students said when deciding on which college to attend the college recreation center impacted their decision significantly.
Smith also agrees that the Campus Rec Center did stand out to him on his first visit to FAMU.
"When I was touring the campus, I saw it and thought it was a pretty good add on to what the campus already offered and I already enjoyed FAM itself," Smith said.
“So it’s imperative that we keep our facilities in good working order and have the latest technology… They’re looking at those amenities that help them make that decision and the Recreation Center is a part of that.” Said Carroll.
Additionally, in this survey 75 percent of the students polled said they use their campuses facilities. However according to the Hansel Tookes Centers data, only 53 percent of our student body uses the Recreation Center, not including the outdoor facilities.
“The reason we haven’t reached 75 percent is because our hours are not long enough. We don’t open early enough. We don’t stay late enough. We’re closed on Saturdays and Sundays…” said Carroll.
FAMU student, Jonathan Edouard is a frequent visitor of the Campus Recreation Center and has a few ideas on how to improve it.
"I wish they would add more hours. If they could, try and make it 24/7 and just restrict some areas of the gym."Edouard said.
Currently the Recreation Center is opened Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. And is planning on being closed during finals week.
“I guess it’s a way for everybody to focus and for us to regroup for the summer,” said Lavonna Pinder, a current FAMU student and supervisor at the Rec.
THE BUDGET:
During the fiscal year of 2017-2018, the Campus Recreation had a total allocation of $671,255. Out of the total budget, $369,455 went towards the salaries of the Director, Assistant Directors, Intramural Coordinator, and the Administrative Assistant.
$217,200 went towards the Mandatory & Operational Expenses which covers all expenses related to the Campus Recreation facilities and equipment maintenance.
Lastly $75,000 goes toward paying OPS staff and for a week last semester, the gym was closed because they did not have a way to pay the students.
“They told us that the gym would be shut down for like a good week, because they didn’t have enough funding, so we could not work here. We were allowed to go home early that day,” Pinder said.
Not long after they opened back up after receiving additional funding. However, the Rec center needed to make additional cuts.
“Some of our pay got cut, I’m OPS, so my pay got cut. Our hours got shortened in the beginning… the rock-wall was closed, and we are no longer open on Saturdays.” Pinder disclosed.
EQUIPMENT:
When the Rec Center opened in 2006, the center possessed 64 brand new cardio machines. Throughout the years the equipment dwindled down to ten.
“We were able to get almost 60 new pieces. That’s a significant improvement. We got all new weights, we got new machines, we got floors resurfaced, we got a new sound system. We did some improvements outside to our fields… All the money doesn’t just go to equipment.” Carroll said.
The Rec Center is currently in the process of building an outdoor restroom to support the outdoor fields. According to Carroll, it took them eight years to get the money for this project.
Carroll also mentioned the outdoor turf field is nine years old and has a ten year life expectancy, and they are expecting to spend $313,000 to resurface. Additionally, the softball field is now unavailable because it has been taken by the building of the new residence halls. To replace this field it will cost approximately $150,000.
“The facility part, it never stops... We didn’t jump from nothing to this. It took time.” Carroll said. “The Rec Center and those facilities they all work together to give us the ability to attract better students.”
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