Michigan State University’s Sailing Center, which traces its roots to the 1940s, has opened a new structure that includes classrooms, offices, and storage space.
“This will help greatly with our educational and recreational programs during colder months, as well as improvements we needed to accommodate everyone,” says Rick McNeil, director of recreational sports and fitness at Michigan State University.
The new 600-square-foot structure is heated, and it includes space for year-round classes on sailing and kayaking. The center also offers private lessons, group events, and youth programs.
“This past fall we had an assessment done on the quality of the structures, and the university decided to put forth the funding to replace the buildings so that the programming could continue,” McNeil says.
He says the original center was a Quonset hut, a steel structure with a semicircular cross-section. The hut was replaced in 1973 with two garages donated by the late Jack Breslin.
