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ECC Set to Christen New Events Center

Posted on: Monday, 3 October 2005, 21:00 CDT

By Daily Herald Report

Elgin Community College will celebrate the grand opening of the new Spartan Events Center, home of ECC's Spartan athletics program, on Saturday.

There will be an exciting lineup of health and fitness activities planned, as well as a national weightlifting competition.

Visitors won't just see the new events center, they will also get to experience it during a Health and Fitness Day roster highlighted by an adult fitness challenge, kids sports clinics, fitness demonstration classes, KidsQuest activities and Kane County Cougars Speedpitch.

Demonstration seminars will be held in several forms of martial arts and dance, yoga, low impact aerobics, massage and nutrition. Information booths will be staffed by ECC health professionals and community health care providers. Guests can even get a free blood pressure screening.

Kids can improve their skills in baseball, basketball, soccer and volleyball clinics. The KidsQuest fun and fitness challenge will feature an obstacle course, laser tag, games and face painting, a fun fair and other activities. For $10, kids can build and dress a stuffed SpartaCat, the ECC mascot.

Most events are free and all are open to the public.

Bench America will hold its National Benchpress Championships the same day in the new center, which promises to ramp up the excitement of Spartan Events Center's debut even more.

The benchpress championships contribute a whole agenda of their own to the day's activities. Early risers can enter a 5K race to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Elgin on Saturday. Men's and women's lifting finals also take place, along with a body building contest, music and Jiffy Lube's "Who's The Most Fit" finals.

The Jiffy Lube Fitness Team will be on campus, along with Dan Morell, mixmaster at B96 radio, and the Jessie White Tumblers at 2:30 p.m.

Admission for the benchpress championships after 4 p.m. is $10 for adults, $5 for students and $5 for ECC students and family.

Grand opening attendees with a wristband will be admitted free to the championships.

The new Spartan Events Center gives ECC another reason to be proud of its program.

"I'm thrilled to see the special weekend of activities that's been planned to pen what will surely become a very popular venue," noted ECC athletic director Kent Payne.

"We're looking forward to having our new facility become a showcase for the Fox Valley."

A multi-purpose facility with three basketball courts and three volleyball courts, the Events Center underwent a major makeover and expansion. The gym can now seat 2,500 and it's all stadium seating rather than pull-out bleachers. It is available for rent by calling (847) 931-3925.

The center features an elevated running track and newly renovated fitness center with all the latest workout equipment and satellite television. Baseball, softball and soccer players also have new athletic fields to play on, and the student athletes have new locker facilities to use.

Ribbon cutting for the new facility is at 11:45 a.m. Saturday. The Events Center is located on the ECC campus at 1700 Spartan Drive.

For more information, call the college at (847) 214-7232.

Source: Daily Herald; Arlington Heights, Ill.

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