IU will soon have a 30,000-square-foot outdoor recreation park

Bloomington, Indiana – The IU Bloomington campus will soon welcome a brand-new 30,000 square-foot outdoor recreation park with six pickleball courts, a full-sized basketball court, an outdoor fitness court, a general social area, and turf specifically designed for soccer and futsal.

According to Chris Arvin, project director and executive director of IU recreational sports, the park, which will be located at the intersection of Fee Lane and 17th Street, may be finished by the end of November.

According to Arvin, the goal of IU Recreational Sports, which was proposed in 2023, was to “add life” to the Northwest area of the IU Bloomington campus.

“Recreational Sports is appreciative of the chance to deepen our collaboration with Campus Auxiliaries in order to provide students with more access to recreational opportunities in their homes and on campus,” Arvin stated.

The Northwest neighborhood’s Briscoe, Foster, and McNutt dorms are constructing the park.
According to Arvin, the park’s estimated $1.8 million budget was provided by Campus Auxiliaries and Recreational Sports. Additionally, they collaborated with the National Fitness Campaign, which supplied grant money to build the outdoor exercise facility.

“Having our first regulation pickleball courts on campus excites me personally,” Arvin remarked. “I’m also excited to unveil the basketball court, which will have a design similar to Assembly Hall’s floor.”

All members of the community will have free and unrestricted access to the park.