In a move that addresses the need for more academic opportunities for William
Paterson University’s allied health programs — as well the overall wellness of the
school community — WPU last Friday broke ground on a $40 million Recreation and
Health Sciences Center, a state-funded transformation of the institution’s existing
recreation building.
The expansion, which is being funded by the Educational Facilities Authority, aims to
seamlessly connect with the current Sports and Recreation Center, which houses the
university’s main athletic arena and fitness facilities.
The expansion is scheduled for completion in June 2027. Here’s what it means:
- The Recreation and Health Sciences Center will be enhanced with a new 55,000-
square-foot, two-story extension to the current rec center, more than doubling its
size. - The facility will provide classrooms, laboratories and other related spaces for the
university’s bachelor’s degree programs in sports medicine, sport management,
exercise physiology and physical education, and master’s degree programs in
athletic training, exercise physiology and sport administration. - The first floor will house the university’s Counseling, Health and Wellness Center,
which will feature a new modern health clinic with a dedicated women’s health
center, a lab and pharmacy, and examination and counselor rooms. It also will
feature a flexible space for group activities. - The second floor will provide facilities for the university’s department of
kinesiology, including four classrooms, observation rooms, a dedicated space for
athletic training and faculty offices. - The expansion also will include a state-of-the-art 25-meter natatorium with locker
rooms for recreational and competitive swimming and a multipurpose academic
gym, and additional flexible space for group activities.
William Paterson University President Richard Helldobler obviously was thrilled.
“This new Recreation and Health Sciences Center is truly a transformational project for William Paterson,” he said. “It will, of course, feature upgrades and additions to the complex’s traditional sports and recreation role, which will create a space to support comprehensive student wellbeing through our excellent Health and Wellness Center. Significantly, it will also leverage proximity to these facilities to create space and resources for the many related majors that are preparing our students for careers in the diverse allied health professions.”
Helldobler said it is an investment in the present and the future.
“We know that these fields are a cornerstone of the New Jersey economy and are
growing increasingly important each year,” he said. “So, this project supports both
William Paterson’s strategic goal of further aligning our programs with the state’s
workforce needs and — again, critically for a public investment in a public institution —
Gov. Murphy’s record of prioritizing public health and wellness for all New Jerseyans.”
Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D, 9th District) agreed. She called the event a day to
reflect on all the priceless values of investing in education and our state’s future.
“William Paterson is a vital resource for our community and an incubator to
extraordinary talent and potential,” she said. “This future center tells our students that
their futures are worth investing in — and it tells educators and health care
professionals that the tools that they need are being built.
“The new Recreation and Health Science Center isn’t just about brick and mortar, it’s
about connecting education, health, and community wellbeing and committing those
resources to achieve lasting change. That is what great universities do.”
Lt. Governor Tahesha Way said the groundbreaking marks an exciting investment in the
future of William Paterson University and in the growth of its students.
“Our administration is proud to support the launch of the new Recreation and Health
Sciences Center — a hub for innovation in sports medicine, kinesiology, and wellness,”
she said. “As the wife of a retired professional athlete, I know how essential these fields
are for those in physically demanding professions. This facility will be more than a place
to learn — it will be a space for the WP community to come together and take care of
themselves.”
