Wartburg College hopes to raise $5 million for recreation center renovations

Wartburg College in Waverly is working to raise $5 million to upgrade recreation facilities it operates in partnership with the city, with a goal of ensuring future campus and community members will be able to access learning opportunities and programming.

The Ohle Wartburg-Waverly Sports & Wellness Center, also known as The W, has operated as a partnership between the university and city since 2008, according to a news release, allowing for students to gain experience while offering more activities for children and adults.

There are 60 community recreation programs offered through the center, the release stated, and in 2023-2024, the center saw 142,000 visitors, almost 3,700 identifying as non-students.

Both the W and the Walston-Hoover Stadium, which the release stated is also used for recreational programming, are in need of renovations and updates, according to the college. The $5 million ask is tied to the community wellness and recreation initiative branch of “Our Brightest Days: The Campaign for Realizing Purpose and Leading Change,” a Wartburg fundraising campaign with an overall goal of $36 million.

Funds would go toward updating exercise and pool equipment, resurfacing indoor and outdoor tracks, replacing field turf and upgrading a climbing wall, according to the release.

“For nearly two decades, the Ohle Wartburg-Waverly Sports & Wellness Center has stood as a shining example of what can be accomplished when a college and community join forces with a shared vision,” said Sheila Kittleson, The W’s executive director, in the release.

According to the university’s campaign webpage, almost $970,000 of the $5 million goal has already been raised. Other targeted areas the university is fundraising for include scholarship funds, experiential learning opportunities, alumni and career connections and classroom technology upgrades.