ASIDE from the Quadricentennial Pavilion, a new lair will soon be available for Thomasian athletes.
Temporarily known as the “Practice court with Mezzanine,” the new three-story building just beside the state-of-the-art Quadricentennial Pavilion will house facilities that could better cater to the needs of Thomasian athletes.
Fr. Roberto Pinto, O.P., director of the Facilities Management Office, said the construction of the arena was intended mainly to “utilize” the available space.
“We wanted to utilize the space through elevation rather than put up just three covered courts, which was the original plan,” he said.
The structure’s blueprint shows the variety of courts that could back the services of the Quadricentennial Pavilion, which is used in various events aside athletic purposes such as graduation rites and conferences.
“There will be three courts on the ground floor: a covered basketball court, which is already there; a volleyball court will be built on the side near the Roque Ruaño building and badminton and sepak takraw courts will be in the middle of the basketball and volleyball courts,” architect Eric Sta. Maria said.
“On the second floor, there will be tennis and basketball courts and an open basketball court on the third and last floor.”
Unlike the larger Quadricentennial Pavilion, the practice court, which is expected to be finished by January next year, will not house commercial establishments.
“Its purpose will be entirely for sports,” Pinto said.
After years of training in the seminary’s tennis courts, the UST Tennisters are delighted with the construction of their eventual home.
“We’re really happy to have our own practice court,” coach Dennis Sta. Cruz said. “We’re also thankful to UST because it is giving importance to other [sporting] events.”
The tennis squads are recuperating from their runner-up finishes both in the men’s and women’s divisions last season.
The UST Shuttlers, meanwhile, will stay and still conduct training at the Quadricentennial Pavilion.
