Search Term Record
Metadata
Name |
Preston Health & Activities Center (WKU) |
Details |
Other Names - Health & Physical Education, Preston Center Built - 1990-1992 Dedication - Aug. 23, 1992 Cost of Construction - $12 million Size - 112,000 square feet Architect - Rick Coltharp Namesake - Raymond Bart Preston (1920-2007) was born in Johnson County, KY on August 25th, 1920. He attended Alice B. Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Knott County, KY and University of Tennessee before graduating from WKU (then-Western State Teachers College) in 1940 with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry. He served as a Lt. General Grade in the Pacific Theater of WWII and briefly worked for the General Chemical Company. After the war, in 1947, Preston co-founded PB&S Chemical Company on North Adams St. in Bowling Green, but was called back into service for the Korean War in 1951. Discharged in 1953, Preston went back to Henderson to help PB&S become the 10th largest chemical distributor in the U.S. by 1989, when he sold it to Brenntag. Concurrently, he was serving as chairman of Ohio Valley Bank, owning a majority stock in 1987. He also owned some small businesses around Henderson and Palmyra, Indiana. Preston was very active and prolific in community organizations, including the WKU's Board of Regents, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Henderson Air Board (26 years), Henderson Community College, and Louisville Orchestra Board. In 1990, Preston formed the Raymond B. Preston Family Foundation, which donated more than $6 million to communities in Henderson and Western Kentucky regions, primarily. That same year, the organization donated at least $800,000 to the construction of the WKU activities center, which in turn was named in his honor. Raymond Bart Preston died on August 17th, 2007, a week before his 87th birthday. History - The idea for an activities center was floating around WKU for a while when Raymond Preston met with President Thomas Meredith. In actuality, WKU had the authorization to build one, but lacked the financial resources to do so. After the 1988 Board of Regents approved the building, WKU quietly began raising the finances. When details came out for the health center in the fall of 1989, It would include a "multipurpose gymnasium with an elevated track around the perimeter," 10 handball/racquetball courts, a weight room and a swimming pool. Groundbreaking was expected to begin in the summer of the following year. In June 1990, Raymond Preston, founder, chief executive and president of PB&S Chemical Co., and Hattie Preston donated close to around $800,000, which pushed the amount raised for construction to $1.4 million. In return for his gratitude, the Board of Regents voted on June 27th to name the building after Preston. In light of what was then "the largest donation to Western," new details about the building surfaced: the center would include nine racquet and six basketball courts, weight-lifting and aerobic dancing rooms, a 25 meter-swimming pool, and a 1/9-mile jogging track. President Meredith said that groundbreaking would begin on September 1990. Despite being on track for opening in July 1992, budget cuts of over $2.36 million and a hiring freeze in Fall 1991 increased concern over a lack of money to hire enough staff members. A comprehensive solution for the problem at hand was not found until April 1992, when the Budget Committee recommended to increase student fees from $70 to $103 to help staff the Preston Center. Also, for the next six weeks, starting in April, the American Marketing Association printed a series of reviews of all the facilities in the Preston Center, ending with an ad of Preston's official premiere to the campus on August 24th, 1992. On August 23rd, 1992, President Meredith and Regent Chairman Burns Mercer unveiled a plaque dedicated to Raymond Preston, a day before the premiere to the public. In 2010, a 14,000 square ft. Fitness Center was added to the recently renovated Preston Center. Additions: 2008-2010 - Hastings & Chivetta Architects, $642,000 renovation and expansion, weight room, aerobics studio and fitness rooms. Added 14,000 square feet. Sources: College Heights Herald Park City Daily News: Advertisements 8/23/1992, 10/25/1992 "Bank Firm Donates $100,000 to WKU," 3/14/1990 Birks, Jackie. "Western Employees Take Look at Health," 4/5/1993 "Construction at WKU Brings New Vitality," editorial, 10/12/1990 Donnell, Evans. "The Preston Center is State-of-the-Art Facility," 8/21/1992 Dudley, Jason. "Waterbabies," 11/7/2003 Elliott, Susan. Photograph, 6/9/1991 Garrett, Angela. "Western Project Is Behind Schedule, But Center Will Be Ready in Fall ’92," 11/24/1991. Gibbs, Jerry. "Letter to the Editor," 12/5/1991 "Groundbreaking at WKU is Friday," 9/26/1990 Haney, Norm. "Making a Splash with the Kids," 4/11/2004 "Health, Wellness and the YMCA," 10/25/1992 Imel, Joe. Photograph 8/21/1992. Jackson, Lisa. "WKU Gets $100,000 for Center," 3/13/1990 Lewis, Clinton. Photograph 3/30/2003 "Portion of Center Street to Reopen," 11/6/1990 "Racquetball," 10/24/1996 "Regents Avenue Will Be Closed Oct. 8," 10/4/1990 Riley, Jason. "They’ve Got (Video) game," 12/7/1999 "Section of Center Street to be Closed," 5/20/1991 Sisco, Scott. "Healthy Education," 1/15/2003 "WKU Offers Poker Walk for Fitness," 9/12/2002 "WKU Teams Walking the Distance to Orlando," 2/9/2003 Tackett, Scott. Photograph 10/15/1990 "Underground Lines Slow Work on Western’s Preston Center," 12/11/1990 "Western Begins Work on $10 Million Center," 9/30/1990 "Western Kentucky University’s Wellness Fair," 11/1/1992 White, Brian. "Western Plans Expansion at Preston Center," 7/31/2006 "WKU Regents Get a Sneak Preview," 10/22/1989 "WKU Swim Team Offers Good Program," editorial, 4/14/2004 Louisville Courier-Journal: "WKU Regents Get Preview of Health Center," 10/21/1989 Researched and revised by Sean Feole, Spring 2018 |
Archives Entries |
99 |
Library Entries |
9 |
Object Entries |
1 |
Photograph Entries |
83 |
Related Records
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Big Red Bash - Lewis, Clinton
Big Red Bash in front of the Preston Health & Activities Center.
Record Type: Photo
-
College Heights Herald Vol. 59, No. 55 - Student Affairs (WKU)
College Heights Herald available online at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/5905 WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles: Dias, Monica. Homosexuals Fear Ridicule, Discrimination Edelen, Mark. Associated Student Government, University Center Board, Interhall Council Overlap in Duties Meehan...
Record Type: Archive
-
College Heights Herald Vol. 62, No. 36 - Student Affairs (WKU)
College Heights Herald available online at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/5926 WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles: Crouch, Donna & Lynn Hoppes. Pearce-Ford Tower's Falling Bricks May Cost Western $500,000 Jessie, Lisa. Western Wants State to Build $15 Million Recreation Center - Pres...
Record Type: Archive
-
College Heights Herald Vol. 62, No. 38 - Student Affairs (WKU)
College Heights Herald available online at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/5924 WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles: Cravens, Jayne. Poll Find An Interest in College White, Douglas. MasterCard Will Give Club a Charge - Alumni Affairs Schlagenhauf, Ann. Former Student Hired to Recruit ...
Record Type: Archive
-
College Heights Herald Vol. 62, No. 41 - Student Affairs (WKU)
College Heights Herald available online at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/5921 WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles: Harris, Carla. Business Dean Quits After Conflicts with President - Robert Hershberger Jessie, Lisa. Jerry Wilder Wants University Center Board, Dorm Budget Boost Harr...
Record Type: Archive
