Any news on where we are at on IPF?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1134227-the-top-10-worst-practice-facilities-in-college-football?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=college-football

Do I read correctly that the total NUMBER of donors is hovering around 300 +/_?

That's a pretty embarrassing participation rate, if true.  I'd almost bet you could set up a card table in a Columbus mall some weekend and find 300 willing contributors.  You might collect only $300 but you might hit the jackpot, too.

I agree, Alan, I don't understand the lack of a track.  I think they've been thinking too "small time" when it comes to this facility.  I'd rather wait a year or so and have a decent facility than build it right away and have it not be as "multipurpose" as it could be.  Not sure what the rush is.  

I keep reading posts from people saying that the IPF should have a "track".

The problem is that you need to define what you mean by "track".
I've designed a number of running tracks and based on the size of building there are a number of
issues in putting one in the IPF.

1.if you want to have a regulation lenth football field  you can't fit a standard 1/8 mile (200 meter) indoor tack.
   The track is too small and will fall well inside the field's boundaries.For comparision a 200 meter track fits
   in most basketball / hockey arenas like Madison Square Garden.

2.To accomidate a standard 400 meter track,you'd need a building that's a minimum of 600' x 300'.To me that
    isn't practcile  
   
3.The indoor tracks i've seen in this area are "independent, that is they function soley for indoor track and field 
    events.In fact,people  put up "bubbles' with 1/8 mile tracks and rent out practice time to high schools.

4.I have seen schools set up 1/8 mile tracks for indoor track  training,but always outdoors.

Given the IPF's  demensional limitations which preclude providing either a 200 or 400 meter track,I think they could consider including a "straight- a way" along one or both sides of the IPF.
This would give an area for sprinters and hurdlers to train indoors.
Distance runners never seem to mind training outdoors.At least that's how it was when i ran track in college.

Just my $.02

So much for practicing the fade route to the back pylon :) 

So build it.  It this is really a multipurpose facility it should include a track.

When asked I've been told it is another $3.5-4MM for the track, which supports your number.  And I think everyone would be thrilled to propose a track in the MPF if when the donor analysis was completed, it was thought that higher number could be achieved. (and we're seeing how difficult it is getting over the finish line with the current target)

Now to Alan's point, if it were a true multipurpose facility that more than just the University athletics support community could use (ex. Athens county and surrounding counties for conferences/special events/HS athletics and the like), and they felt they would directly benefit from the track and additional space, they should be lining up in droves to help support the construction.  To my knowledge that has not happened.

And now that I think about it, I would rather $3.5-4MM go into a practice facility for hoops/VB than into the MPF to add a track.  Would be ideal to add both, but lets face it, you need to spend money first on sports to which you can sell tickets, and there are many non-revenue sports that will benefit from the MPF as currently proposed.

My son has participated in 7-on-7 scrimages at Akron's IPF and also the new stadium these past 2 years, and I feel both are top-notch facilities.  The IPF was great, however I do recall part of the endzone going onto the track.  Still, that was not a problem.

As for OUr IPF, I would love to see an indoor track.  Why?  Because it is easier to build it now and have it in the future, rather than wait and wish in the future we had built it.

Finally, if this is to be a "multipurpose community facility" then whatever other organizations/schools are going to use it should also be paying/contributing now.  Sorry, but if this place is being financed through donations then it should be used solely for athletics.

Not to be stupid, which unfortunately comes naturally, but I thought they had the darn thing designed and once funding was in place were ready to build it.  If they are just now advertising for design work, it seems this MPC is not going to be ready by fall of 2013, as was originally proposed.  

Thanks gocats!

iPhone post from Iceland 😊

So it looks like there will be a track?

http://thepost.ohiou.edu/content/funds-construction-multipurpose-center-including-track-will-come-general-fee 

I'm just flat out happy about the addition of a track to the IPF. It's a first-class choice and really goes in line with all of the positive changes seen athletically at this university. Without a track, we were really handicapping our potential growth as an athletic program. Now all options are back on the table.

McDavis and Schaus probably pushed hard for this. I can't thank them enough for that. I'm not sure how or where they got the student feedback mentioned in the article, but I can attest to the demand. A lot of friends I know, some indifferent toward athletics, thought the absence of a track in the IPF design was plain stupid.