Community Colleges are Community Assets: SC4’s New Fieldhouse

What is the asset?

Last month, St. Clair County Community College (SC4) celebrated the formal opening of a new community resource, the Fieldhouse.

The Fieldhouse entrance celebrates the College’s success in Athletics.

A former city-owned 1960’s ice arena in downtown Port Huron was in need of major renovations. Rather than invest in the necessary updates, the City of Port Huron sold it to the college for $1 to develop it into a much-needed sports center to serve students, the college teams, and the community.

After more than a year of major renovations, the Fieldhouse is now an impressive, modern facility that boasts a college-size basketball and volleyball court as well as three additional basketball/volleyball cross courts, an elevated running track – the only indoor track in the county – bleachers, six locker rooms, a fitness center, and a 188-step tower which provides a 360-degree view of the city and surrounding area. Technology helps make this a multi-functional facility through an elevated batting cage that lowers from the ceiling when needed and remote control hoops and curtains that divide the cross courts.

What are the benefits to the college?

SC4 is the second-oldest community college in Michigan and has had a sports program since 1923. Its 11 teams and students had outgrown existing facilities. The college can now host college and high school sports teams, support community events, and partner with organizations like the YMCA to help improve the health of students, as well as city and county residents.

Basketball/Volleyball courts and elevated walking track

In August, SC4 hosted the first Girls High School Volleyball Invitational at the new Fieldhouse with 12 teams from the region. There are plans to host local middle and high school basketball tournaments later this year, as well as National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) volleyball and interstate basketball tournaments. The Fieldhouse can hold up to 2,000 spectators for games.

Pete Lacey, Vice President of Student Services and Communications, says, “Apart from exposing the college to future students and college officials, the tournaments are community events and will bring in additional revenues for local hotels and restaurants.”

Pete Lacey, VP of Student Services; Dale Vos, Athletic Director; Robert Tansky, SC4 Trustee; Deborah Snyder, SC4 President in the Fieldhouse

SC4 Athletic Director Dale Vos adds, “College is more than just a place to take classes. Today’s community college students want more from their college experience. The Fieldhouse will make SC4 more attractive to many students – for practice, working out, or hanging out, supporting the various college teams, and coming together as a community.”

The renovations and updates cost about $4 million, an investment in the college’s future, which will help attract more students both within the county and from neighboring areas. Some of the furniture and equipment,such as cabinets, seats, and scoreboards have been repurposed from other buildings and the old gym.

Partnering on Community Events

SC4 celebrates Port Huron’s strong sports history with the Hall of Fame gallery prominently featured in the Fieldhouse. Local businesses, like the Hilton Double Tree Hotel, support the Fieldhouse as sponsors. Downtown Port Huron and the Convention and Visitors Bureau have also been supportive of Fieldhouse activities. SC4 students can join the YMCA during the month of September for only $15. This allows them to take YMCA group exercise classes offered on campus at no cost and also access the Y’s pool, workout facilities, racquetball, and other programs. The YMCA is also offering 10 classes at the Fieldhouse, all available to students, employees, Y members, and the public.

This October, SC4 will host College Night at the Fieldhouse, allowing 50-75 colleges and universities to bring together 1,000 students and parents. In October 2018, SC4 and the YMCA will partner on the Night of Champions, which will bring back several of the Detroit Pistons “Bad Boys” for a fundraiser.

SC4 Trustee Robert Tansky says the new fieldhouse is the “nicest facility of any community college in Michigan, Indiana, or Ohio…and by serving the community, it brings the community closer to the college.”

Future Plans

While the Fieldhouse has provided a much-needed improvement to the college, it is not the only focus of SC4. To enhance student success, the college is in the process of building student housing by redeveloping an old motel half a block away. This will create housing for 80 students who are currently commuting long distances. This is partly funded by the Community Foundation of St. Clair County as part of its revitalization effort in the City of Port Huron.

Another major development is remodeling of the Health Services Building. SC4 is preparing students for health care careers in response to major expansion of local hospitals. The college recently received planning authorization from the State of Michigan, which would provide 50 percent of the funding for the nearly $10 million project. The renovation will help SC4 create a highly skilled workforce in one of the region’s fastest growing industries.

The Fieldhouse, plus new housing, and improvements to the Health Services Building will all strengthen the college’s impact on economic development, help create a stronger workforce, and build greater connections between the college and the broader community.