In 1965, when Calvin completed construction on the first fieldhouse in college history, it was celebrated as a cutting-edge facility. More than 40 years, 31,000 students and more than 1,000 varsity basketball games later, the Calvin fieldhouse remains a serviceable building, but one that must be adapted to the current needs of the student body and to new trends in physical education.
On May 4, 2007, when Calvin broke ground on the new $49.5 million Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex, the college launched a complete transformation of this important campus facility. Housing a new arena, natatorium, and track and tennis facility as well as dance studios, a climbing wall, performance labs and offices for health services, the re- envisioned Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex will take an integrated approach to health, fitness and physical education.
The new complex was also designed to accommodate the innovative programming from Calvin’s health, physical education, recreation, dance and sport (HPERDS) department that kept the old fieldhouse humming with activity: expanded intramural offerings, outdoor recreation classes, fitness classes for faculty and staff, and educational programs in exercise science, sport management, therapeutic recreation and dance. The Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex will be a resource for the entire Calvin community.