SITUATION:  BC announced plans for a $200M makeover of its varsity sports and intramural athletic facilities including a 240,000 square foot recreational center to replace the Flynn Recreational Complex, as well as playing fields and a field house for football, baseball and soccer. 

As proud supporters of the university, we share the excitement for this facilities plan, the field house and fields. 

However, a key part of that new plan will replace THE PLEX with an under-performing facility that will not meet the needs of intercollegiate athletics, will not appeal to prospective students or recruits and will actually reduce the options for students to stay active on our health and fitness-minded campus. Simply, the NEW PLEX is not on par with peer national universities.

Why step backwards when, in so many other ways, BC has invested in being a national leader? Why? 

The design process for the new PLEX did not include key people who have insight and the experience to make this facility a true university asset. Why did the design process exclude key facilities management, current coaches and other stakeholders? 

Clearly, the athletics budget must be shared across all sports. This point is not lost. However, if care for the whole person - Cura Personalis - is a BC priority along with fostering a productive culture of competition that pushes student-athletes to reach their full potential on the field, in the classroom and as people, why not seek the input from all of the affected sports and programs? Why not use that more complete input to shape and secure a model that works for the budget and programs? 

The total lack of input into the PLEX REPLACEMENT PLAN threatens to deliver a permanently, non-competitive asset for the BC community and for several intercollegiate teams at BC, especially in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Coast Conference. For example: 

• Pool: The planned Pool is totally non-competitive. The pool design is grossly insufficient for the size of the BC community and other program space needed by the university. What would it take to build a truly competitive facility with space to support the range of university needs? (25 yards x 50 meters or 25 yards x 25 meters (with a diving well)? 
• Tennis: reduced to a few indoor courts and no outdoor courts. What can be done now to find more space for courts? Are more creative solutions possible?
• Other sports and space affected: fencing, club and intramural programs will have little or no space. 

BC has a proud history of intercollegiate athletics and offering healthy activity options for all students has always played a vital role in the character of the university.  There is no reason for BC to build inadequate facilities without input when coaches, experts, alumni and so many other resources are able and willing to help. 

This is a 50+ year facility! Let's get it right! 

Please Join the Petition. Let's help BC harness all of the resources and input available for the NEW PLEX!