{"id":5542,"date":"2026-06-18T15:49:05","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T15:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/2026\/06\/18\/hadley-family-recreation-center-opens-after-more-than-3-years-of-construction\/"},"modified":"2026-06-18T15:49:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T15:49:09","slug":"hadley-family-recreation-center-opens-after-more-than-3-years-of-construction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/2026\/06\/18\/hadley-family-recreation-center-opens-after-more-than-3-years-of-construction\/","title":{"rendered":"Hadley Family Recreation Center opens after more than 3 years of construction"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The<a href=\"https:\/\/recreation.umich.edu\/facility\/hadley-family-recreation-well-being-center\/\"> Hadley Family Recreation and Well-Being Center<\/a> opened its doors Wednesday morning to begin summer recreation operations before the fall semester.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The soft opening includes limited daily hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with all five floors open \u2014excluding the aquatic center and the climbing wall areas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Mike Widen, director of<a href=\"https:\/\/recreation.umich.edu\/\"> campus recreation<\/a> at the University of Michigan, said the vision for the Hadley Center began in 2011 with the founding of the student organization <a href=\"https:\/\/uunions.umich.edu\/building-a-better-michigan\/\">Building a Better Michigan<\/a>. The organization\u2019s advocacy called for improvements to the Michigan Union and Michigan Recreation facilities, which prompted the University to institute a $65 fee on tuition payments to fund renovations for <a href=\"https:\/\/uunions.umich.edu\/\">U-M Unions<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/recreation.umich.edu\/facilities\/\">recreational sports facilities<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTheir goal was to advocate and help build demand for investments into those two types of spaces,\u201d Widen said. \u201cA fee in 2013 was implemented for $65 per term that students now pay that will help support the renovations and projects for unions and Michigan Recreation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-1    \">\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Past projects partially funded by the fee include renovating <a href=\"https:\/\/umaec.umich.edu\/projects\/completed-projects\/elmer-d-mitchell-field-improvements\/\">Mitchell Field<\/a> in 2014, the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigandaily.com\/news\/campus-life\/im-sports-building-re-opens-new-renovations\/\"> Intramural Sports Building<\/a> in 2016, and the<a href=\"https:\/\/umaec.umich.edu\/projects\/completed-projects\/north-campus-recreation-building-renovation\/project-data\/\"> North Campus Recreation Building<\/a> in 2018.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Student members of Building a Better Michigan joined the design team for the Hadley Center, helping decide on desirable amenities and layouts by visiting other Midwest institutions\u2019 unions and recreation centers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe take students on an annual benchmarking trip every year, so every year in January, we take them to another campus recreation facility or University Unions facility at other campuses,\u201d Widen said. \u201cThey could come back and say, \u2018We saw this feature at X institution and we don\u2019t like it\u2019, or, for example, \u2018We saw the way the University of Wisconsin branded their facility with lots of red and white for their school colors, and we want that\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Hadley Center\u2019s amenities include a 25-yard, 12-lane lap pool; a recreation pool; a recovery pool; a 220-yard indoor track; a sauna; and a steam room. There are four basketball courts, six volleyball courts, three racquetball courts, two squash courts, and three wallyball courts. There are also 127 weight machines and 135 cardio machines throughout the facility.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The center is named after Philip and Nicole Hadley, whose two children attended the University. The family made a $20 million<a href=\"https:\/\/giving.umich.edu\/um\/w\/hadley-family-rec-center-gift\"> donation<\/a> to support construction of the facility.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-2    \">\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Upon entering the building, visitors are greeted by the climbing center\u2019s 52-foot top-roping wall, which sits right next to the check-in desk. Widen emphasized the facility\u2019s size and variety of terrain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe climbing center has three climbing components: top roping, speed climbing and bouldering,\u201d Widen said. \u201cThis is what we believe to be one of the tallest and one of the most comprehensive climbing experiences in any campus recreation facility in the country. We have a climbing club that we sponsor on campus, and then we\u2019ll open it up for opportunities for drop-in climbing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The bouldering area is expected to open later during the summer months, while the full climbing facility is slated to open in the fall after Michigan Recreation employees are trained to certify climbers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an interview with The Daily, LSA rising sophomore Shaan Mullick said he is excited to use the climbing center and have a free, accessible bouldering wall.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m really excited for the climbing,\u201d Mullick said. \u201cEverywhere (for) climbing you could go, you usually need a car or a lot of money for a membership. All this comes free. I\u2019ve been bouldering for the past four years, and I haven\u2019t been able to boulder anywhere in Ann Arbor.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-3    \">\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The bottom level of the Hadley Center features squash and racquetball courts, the main weights area and the aquatic area, which features three pools, a steam room and a sauna.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an interview with The Daily, Kinesiology rising senior Reva Ignaczak, a Michigan Recreation personal trainer, said she looks forward to using the facility\u2019s new machinery.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think I\u2019m most excited for some of the new lower-body machines that are in the basement, like the belt squat machine, and definitely the treadmills, where you can change the surface you\u2019re walking on,\u201d Ignaczak said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Widen, the smaller fitness areas spread across all five floors were an intentional design feature to help students with differing preferences and fitness goals feel comfortable.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe didn\u2019t want to create a single space that had hundreds and hundreds of students working out together,\u201d Wilden said. \u201cWe wanted to create smaller spaces, because we know not everybody is in the same place in their fitness journey.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-4    \">\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wilden said the second floor of the Hadley Center is expected to be the most active. The floor features an indoor futsal turf court; a functional fitness room; turf spaces for dynamic circuit training; a single basketball court; personal training studios; strength and fitness areas; and multipurpose rooms.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ignaczak said she looks forward to having a gym with more space and designated private areas to work with her personal training clients.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRight now, especially during rush hour, like the evening, when everybody\u2019s trying to get in the gym, it can be really hard to train a client and make the most use out of that one-hour session that we get,\u201d Ignaczak said. \u201cThere are two studios (at Hadley), as opposed to the zero at the NCRB and Palmer (Commons).\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many of the machines face large windows, overlooking Geddes and Washtenaw Avenue. Widen said the building prioritizes natural lighting while limiting the number of windows to meet<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usgbc.org\/leed\"> LEED platinum<\/a> certification requirements.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA component of the building\u2019s sustainability is that only 22% of the exterior of this building has windows in it, and that helps get us to be one of the first buildings on campus that is LEED platinum certified,\u201d Widen said. \u201cThe wooden floors throughout the facility are sustainably sourced from the Upper Peninsula.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-5    \">\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A LEED platinum certification is the highest globally recognized standard for sustainable building design, construction and operation, requiring high levels of energy efficiency and water conservation. The renewable energy used in the building reduces the facility\u2019s carbon footprint and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usgbc.org\/credits\/new-construction\/v4\/eq101\"> improves air quality<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fourth floor features a cycle studio, strength and fitness area and an indoor track with a short and long loop. The cycle studio will be used for<a href=\"https:\/\/recreation.umich.edu\/groupx\/\"> Group-X<\/a> fitness classes led by student instructors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fifth floor features the Mind and Body studio as well as massage chairs, walking desks and social spaces, which are part of the center\u2019s focus on wellness. This year, the University is embracing a theme of <a href=\"https:\/\/looktomichigan.umich.edu\/impact-areas\/human-health-and-well-being\/\">Human Health and Well-Being<\/a>, aiming to address public health challenges external to the University, as well as address health and well-being needs on campus.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe hope for the future is that through the opening of this facility, we can make campus healthy and allow opportunities for individuals to learn habits that they can use for the rest of their lives,\u201d Widen said. \u201cWhether it\u2019s learning about a new exercise class or a new opportunity to play racquetball and climb on the wall or swim in a pool \u2026 to help them maintain and grow a healthy lifestyle.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Daily Staff Reporter Sophia Jayasekera can be reached at <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigandaily.com\/news\/campus-life\/hadley-family-recreation-center-opens-after-more-than-3-years-of-construction\/mailto:sophiaja@umich.edu\"><em>sophiaja@umich.edu<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-6    \">\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<aside>\n\t\t<\/aside>\n<p><h3 class=\"jp-relatedposts-headline\"><em>Related articles<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Hadley Family Recreation and Well-Being Center opened its doors Wednesday morning to begin summer recreation operations before the fall semester.\u00a0 The soft opening includes limited daily hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with all five floors open \u2014excluding the aquatic center and the climbing wall areas. In an interview with The Michigan Daily, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5543,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[538,2962,494,4950,152,4951,388],"class_list":["post-5542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","tag-center","tag-construction","tag-family","tag-hadley","tag-opens","tag-recreation","tag-years"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5542","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5542"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5542\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5544,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5542\/revisions\/5544"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5543"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}