Construction will begin next month on a new donor-funded outdoor activity space at the southwest end of the Bradley University campus.
Officially named the Zaleski Recreation Complex, the venue will feature pickleball courts, a sand volleyball court and areas for yard games.
“I think it’s safe to say that a pickleball court would be a welcome addition to campus life and help draw students,” Bradley alumni Steve Zaleski said during Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony.
“In my own experience at Bradley, outdoor recreation in the ’70s was limited to dorm football in the quad, where much of the Convergence Center now stands. This was not an ideal location, as there was a prominent cast iron drain on the 30-yard line that had to be avoided during games.”
The complex will be built on the west side of Clarissa Court, across from the Markin Family Recreation Center on land that currently has an open field on the north end and a gravel parking lot on the south.
The complex also will include a pavilion for performances, gatherings and campus events named in honor of former faculty members Ken and Doris Kolb, parents of Bradley alumni Jerry Kolb. The bandshell-like area will feature an outdoor stage named for alumni Jim Rasmussen.
“It’s critical to me that this structure doesn’t exist as just some monument to these two people that I was lucky enough to call, ‘mom and dad,’” said Jerry Kolb, adding he hopes to establish a concert series for the venue.
Bradley president James Shadid said it's part of the broader initiative to upgrade the campus and strengthen its connection to Peoria, with work already underway on the entryway arch at the corner of University and Main streets.
“My ultimate goal is to create a campus that is a student experience that is second to none, that helps us attract and retain students that want to come here, be here, and enjoy their time here,” said Shadid.
“We have a wonderful academic programming, and now we’re going to have wonderful experience in terms of activities for our students, and I want our students and our community and our neighbors to all be interconnected.”
Shadid said he’s not worried about building the complex on the gravel lot and making up for the lost parking in a section of campus where spaces already are limited.
“We’ve studied that and we’ll make arrangements for staff and faculty for parking. That’s not an issue,” he said.
While the total cost of the project has not been announced, Steve and Jane Zaleski donated $1 million, while Jerry and Laura Kolb contributed $250,000. Completion is targeted for September.
“We hope to open it to the community [but] first and foremost to be open to our students, because outdoor spaces matter as much as indoor spaces, and we want to provide a campus for our students where they have a good student experience,” said Shadid.
