It’s a challenge course — and an outdoor education center.

That’s what is being built on South Campus. The Department of Recreation Services announced the answer Thursday to the Division of Student Affairs’ campaign, “What’s Being Built on South?”

“This has been something we’ve been working on for a number of years to complement our outdoor education program,” said Joe Lore, director of the Department of Recreation Services.

Construction of the course, which will include high- and low-rope elements and a zip line, will begin in the spring, according to a Thursday SU News release. The course will be open to Syracuse University students, faculty, staff and the community. It’s expected to open Aug. 15, Lore said.

The outdoor education center will be located in an area across from the Inn Complete. The challenge course will be built on a hill near a radio tower in the same area, he said.

The new building also being constructed will feature workshops on the benefits of outdoor education, according to the release.

There will be a fee structure for SU students, students from other universities, faculty, staff and community members, Lore said. This is still being finalized, but Lore described the fee for SU students as “minimal.”

The course is geared toward students, he said, and prior reservations are required to use it.

The Division of Student Affairs is funding the outdoor education facility and course, Lore said.

Thomas Wolfe, senior vice president and dean of student affairs, said the project is funded internally through the Division of Student Affairs, but wouldn’t say how much it’s expected to cost.

The project was delayed in 2008 when the economic crisis hit, he said, and a choice was made to preserve other programs instead of going forward with construction.

There are many groups on campus that use challenge courses, but have to pay busing and other fees to use them, Wolfe said. The course on South Campus will be easy to access and inexpensive to use, he said.

“We’re saying it’s a win-win for everybody,” he said.

Progress on the construction of the course and more details on the project will be posted on http://challengecourseblog.syr.edu/.

Scott Catucci, assistant director of outdoor education, started working at SU in 2005, but said he heard of the project being discussed as far back as 1998.

“It’s been in the works for quite a long time,” he said.

He described it as being the right time and place for the project. There’s an indoor ropes course in Flanagan Gymnasium, which is used by a small but dedicated group of students. They’ve shown and lent their support for the project, he said.

Trained supervisors will be on the course at all times, Catucci said. Students will also be able to train to become supervisors.

The course will be open April 15 to Nov. 15, he said. This is typical for a challenge course in the Northeast, he said. Challenge courses are built for the outdoors. Elements like pulleys are removed during the winter and access points are blocked off, Catucci said.

Course supervisors will alter programs for each group that visits. He said it’s a good way to build community and assist in team-building on campus.

Said Catucci: “It’s going to create opportunities.”

Published on April 11, 2013 at 2:09 pm

Contact Dylan: dmsegelb@syr.edu | @dylan_segelbaum