The John Wooden Center is a 125,600 square foot, two-story building. A separate 440 space two-level underground parking structure is below the facility which is operated and maintained by the University's Parking Service. The approximate construction cost of the original John Wooden Center was $8 million; total project cost including equipment, design fees, landscaping, etc., was approximately $9.6 million.Additionally, the North expansion which opened in 2001 was funded by a variety of campus sources and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the amount of $9.9 million.In Spring 2004 an additional 33,000 square feet will be opening on the west side of the Center of which 13,000 will be assigned and managed by the John Wooden Center staff bringing the grand total to 159,000 square feet.
The primary purpose of the John Wooden Center is to meet the needs of the UCLA campus community for indoor recreational activities. Additionally, the facility hosts numerous intercollegiate athletic programs and special events. The facility contains the following major components:
1) Collins Court - a 22,344 square foot hardwood floor gymnasium with three recreational basketball courts, one competition basketball/volleyball court and bleachers which accommodate 1808 spectators;
2) Pardee Gymnasium - a10,440 square foot hardwood floor gymnasium with two recreational volleyball courts and six recreational badminton courts;
3) Yates Gymnasium - a7,500 square foot room specifically designed as a gymnastic training facility;
4) Nine (9) Racquetball and two (2)Squash Courts;
5) Rock Climbing Wall – a 800 square foot climbing surface, 15 top ropes and padded floor;
6) Gold Room – 2,800 square foot hard wood floor romm designed for dance, fitness, and other exercise and activities
7) Blue Room – 2,750 square foor room with padded walls and matted flooring for martial arts, and other combatative exercise activities.
8) Pyramid Room – a 2,613 square foot fitness and dance studio with three mirrored walls, sound system and hardwood floor;
9) Dynasty Room – a 2,646 square foot fitness and dance studio with three mirrored walls, sound system and hardwood floor;
10) Strength and Cardio Exercise Zone – 11,300 square foot designed with over 100 pieces of cardio exercise equipment, 100 pieces of strength and lifting equipment, and state of the art audio visual and entertainment systems
11) Outdoor Adventures Center – 2,500 square feet of dedicated space housing staff offices, Adventure Resource room, and Equipment rental operation
12) Locker Rooms – 8,900 square feet of men’s and women’s locker rooms with showers, saunas and restrooms.
13) Energy Zone and Courtyard – 375 square foot convenience store featuring healthy food choices, and merchandise in partnership with the UCLA Store; over 2,000 square foot courtyard featuring outdoor seating and outdoor exercise areas.
14) Other recreational and socail spaces including general offices, and lounges for student use
The John Wooden Center was opened for campus use in May 1983. During its first year of operation over 550,000 separate entries of UCLA students, faculty and staff were recorded. The number of entries has dramatically increased over the years; 657,000 entries in 1989; 769,000 entries in 1999; and over 1,250,000 into the building in 2004.
UCLA students are allowed an unlimited number of entries into the facility by showing a valid Bruin Card. Faculty, staff and alumni support groups must purchase a Recreation Card. Additional user groups include guests of students and recreation cardholders, and Summer conference participants.
The John Wooden Center is administered by the Department Of Cultural and Recreational Affairs. The project was designed by the architectural firm of Parkin and Associates of West Los Angeles, David Body principal designer. The contractor was Steed Bros. of Alhambra, CA.
The John Wooden Center design and planning stages spanned ten years and was spearheaded by the University community's sensitivity to reach acceptable standards for on-campus recreation and sports facilities. The growth in recreational sports programs at UCLA and across the country dictated the need for additional facilities as did the University's desire to maintain its high standard of excellence in service.
A chronological timeline of events follows:
1977 Referendum to establish student financial support for the construction of the facility fails
1978 Almost 75% of voting students approve referendum which includes a statement of conditions providing for the establishment of a student majority committee involved in decisions regarding the design and use of the facility
1978-81 Conceptual planning, architectural selection and design development take place
1981-83 Construction takes place
April 1983 Formal dedication ceremony held
May 1983 John Wooden Recreation and Sports Center opens.
1983 Suzuki Festival Violin Concert (Inaugural special event)
1983 Chancellor Young's 15th Anniversary Dinner
1983 Building in operation accommodating over 500,000 people annually for various recreational, athletic and special events. Relieves demand on Men's Gymnasium and Pauley Pavilion
1984 UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame Induction of Charter Members
1984 Olympic Games Training Site (gymnastics) and Administrative Offices of UCLA Olympic Village
1985 International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI)
1986 Los Angeles Philharmonic/UCLA Department of Fine Arts Production
1986 Interview Board established for hiring of student employees
1987 The John Wooden Center and CRA become caretakers of Building Maintenance and Equipment Reserve (BMER) and Enhanced Maintenance Reserve (EMR) funds
1987 Building operating hours expand to include Sunday evenings
1989 Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Dinner for $25 million campaign
1989-90 Daily entries exceed 600,000
1990 "Sports Feelings", a sports photography exhibit is presented by the United States' weekly Sports Illustrated and the Soviet Union's quarterly Olympic Panorama
1990 Weight Room expanded onto the Courtyard
1991 United States Olympic Festival uses Collins Court as a venue for Team Handball and Rhythmic Gymnastics competitions
1991 As a result of state budget cuts, the John Wooden Center began paying for all maintenance, utilities, and custodial. The Standard Maintenance Reserve (SMR) and Purchased Utilities Reserve (PUR) funds are now managed by CRA
1992 Operating hours expanded to open one hour earlier on weekdays (at 6:00 am) and close five hours later on Sundays (at 9:45 pm)
1992-93 Student mandatory fee increased from $15.00/year to $33.00/year, based on a 1990-91 Board of Governor's recommendation.
1994 Northridge Earthquake strikes Southern California. The John Wooden Center realizes significant damage, especially to drop ceilings, windows and glass facades, and interior walls. Gold Room floor suffers significant water damage. Building closed for three days.
1995 Gold Room floor replaced
1995 The John Wooden Center’s north and west facades proposed as possible sites for staging areas for the Men's Gym and Dance Building seismic renovations
1996 Plans developed to add a north wing of the John Wooden Center for a staging area for the Men's Gym seismic renovation, and a west wing for the Haines Hall Seismic Renovation. Expansion of Parking Structure 4 to include the entire area of the North Athletic Field is included in the project.
1997 Construction begins on the Parking Structure 4 expansion. Partial demolition of north stairways, ramps., shear walls, and storage rooms begins.
1997 Racquetball Court #1 is converted to and 1,800 square foot rock climbing wall. BMER funds were loaned to the project, to be repaid with earnings from user fees.
1998 Bruin Cards required for entry to John Wooden Center.Card readers are installed at entrance to building as well as at auxiliary sites within the building.
1999 The Men's Gym Staging Building (John Wooden Center North addition) begins construction.Ray Wilson Construction is hired as the general contractor while UCLA Capital Program Office designs and oversees the project.
2000 The Student, Programs, Activities and Resource Complex (SPARC) Referendum passes in the spring quarter.With it's approval, funding is made available to offset costs for the future construction of John Wooden Center West addition as well as the Men's Gym seismic upgrade project.
2001 John Wooden Center North addition opens on July 9.Additionally, operational hours were expanded to Monday through Thursday until 11:45pm
2002 Groundbreaking for the Wooden West addition takes place and construction begins with anticipated opening in Spring 2004.
May 2003 20th Anniversary of the opening of the John Wooden Center, and 25th Anniversary of the passing of the Wooden Center referendum are celebrated in May with a special John Wooden Center Appreciation Day, and special program with Coach Wooden.
2004 Automated self entry system linked to UCLA Bruin Card is installed at controlled entry point of access
2004 Wooden West addition including Strength and Cardio exercise expansion, addition of Outdoor Adventures Center, and stand alone John Wooden Center West-Student Psychological Services building are completed in December.