NIC’s first recreation center is taking shape in Coeur d’Alene

The great outdoors is coming indoors for North Idaho College as construction proceeds in Coeur d’Alene on a $7.9 million, 30,000-square-foot student wellness and recreation center.

The two-story center will feature a 30-foot-high climbing and bouldering wall as well as indoor track, gymnasium and weight training.

Founded in 1933, NIC has never had a student recreation center.

“It’s a project the students have requested for 15 years,” said Sarah Garcia, NIC controller and project manager for the rec center.

The rec center will also offer nutrition classes and have weight training and multi-purpose rooms as well as locker rooms.

“Studies have shown this type of facility can aid in recruiting,” Garcia said. “It has shown to help with retention. We’re hoping what this does is create a sense of community that will help people want to stay (enrolled at NIC).”

Garcia said about half of community colleges in the country have recreation centers and the same ratio applies for small or large community colleges. NIC has 5,500 students. College of Southern Idaho has a rec center but College of Western Idaho does not.

“We are essentially a commuter campus,” she said. “More residential or urban campuses have centers like that.“

Ginno Construction Co. of Coeur d’Alene is the general contractor on the project and ALSC Architects PS of Spokane was the architect. Construction started in June and Garcia hopes to open the center in mid-summer.

The rec center will be at the north end of campus and fill the gap between the existing NIC and the 17-acre former mill site that North Idaho College Foundation acquired in 2009 for future expansion and to create an education corridor with the University of Idaho, Lewis-Clark State College, Boise State University and Idaho State University.