MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia County will be the home of a $40 million, state-of-the-art aquatics and track and field center next year.
Mountaineer Center is now under construction at Mylan Park. Owned by the Mylan Park Foundation, the center will be available for school and community use, while also housing West Virginia University’s swimming, diving, track, and cross-country teams.
“We’ve been able to identify probably the best facilities that you’ll find anywhere in the state of West Virginia and maybe in a three or four state region for aquatics and track,” Mylan Park Board President Ron Justice said.
County Commissioner Tom Bloom went a step further, saying he hoped the facilities could attract a national or regional-level Special Olympics.
“This is going to be a world-classed venue,” he said. “It’ll be one of the finest tracks east of the Mississippi.”
The track-and-field complex will have an eight-lane competition track with a state-of-the-art running surface; areas for long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault, hammer throw, discus throw, javelin throw, running & hurdling. It will also include a scenic cross-country trail. In addition, there will be a walking track available to the community. The track and field venue is scheduled to open Fall 2018. The aquatics center is expected to open Spring 2019.
“People say, ‘Why come to West Virginia and invest?’ Bloom said. “This is why you come to Monongalia County. We’re the oasis in West Virginia’s desert.”
The 90,050-square-foot aquatic center will have a competition 50-meter, eight-lane pool, and a separate competition diving pool with 1-meter and 3-meter springboards. Additionally, the center will hold 1-meter, 3-meter, 5-meter, 7.5-meter and 10-meter diving platforms. There will be seating for more than 1,200 spectators, and an indoor recreation pool, with a slide and play area, as well as an outdoor splash, patio and cardio area. The aquatic area will open in Spring 2019.
“The Commissioners today made a huge investment in our kids, our families, our community, and our health,” Bloom said.
Bloom said the project would help further develop that area of the county, which would include improving public infrastructure from the recently completed interchange at mile marker 153 off of I-79. Commission is exploring using TIF-funds to build a new road and provide a second access road to Mylan Park.
“People need to look at the huge picture of what this whole area from the eastern side and the western side of the TIF-district is now doing,” Bloom said. “It’s bringing in all these businesses that had never considered coming here, and then growing and becoming more of a regional area so that people from outside of Morgantown are coming to use these facilities.”
The project was made possible by the largest single donation, $15 million, in the history of the Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust. Justice said, along with the donation, the consistent input from the community and stakeholders made this a possibility.
“It was just, even though the exercise was long in gaining the community support and input, one that we could vet in a very productive way to get a great outcome,” Justice said.
County Commission also contributed $150,000 to the facility for assorted community programs. Bloom said this realizes a long-held dream for the County.
“There’s a difference between a concept and coming up with all of the funding to make it work,” Bloom said.
WVU is already petitioning the Big 12 to host swimming and diving championships in the new facility during the 2020 season .
Mountaineer Center will be located on 55 acres of property at Mylan Park.