HUDSONVILLE, MI – Hudsonville Public Schools’ new $26.5 million indoor sports facility has won the American Sports Builders Association’s (ASBA) highest award for its design.
The 104,000-square-foot facility includes a running track, two levels with fitness and weight-training areas, a multi-purpose tennis court, weight and wrestling rooms and three full-size basketball/volleyball courts able to accommodate 3,700 spectators.
It is connected to Hudsonville High School, located at 5155 32nd Avenue, and makes the high school one of the largest school facilities in Michigan, totaling 612,000 square feet.
The facility was completed in December 2023 after nearly three years of construction. Hudsonville Superintendent Doug Vanderjagt said it was built to make Hudsonville Public Schools a destination for hosting tournaments and events.
“The new athletic field enhances the athletic experience for our entire student body, while creating a welcoming space for the Hudsonville community,” VanderJagt said. “We are very fortunate to have the support of the community to make this complex a reality. The final product reflects and celebrates the student talent we have here at Hudsonville.
After a year of operation, the installation has now been awarded ASBA Facility of the Year Award for a versatile terrain.
The National Association of Sports Facilities Builders and Materials Suppliers has presented annual awards to facilities built and designed by its members since 1996.
The December 2024 award placed the Hudsonville facility among 10 winners in various categories, including indoor and outdoor athletic facilities, gymnasiums and athletic fields.
ASBA did not return a request for comment on the total number of applicants.
Projects are scored individually based on planning and design considerations, site work, drainage, base construction, surfaces, equipment and innovation.
In a written statement, ASBA President Randy Resley said each project is a “shining example of the collaboration between designers, builders and suppliers who have worked together to produce the highest quality sports construction “.
“We are proud of the work accomplished by all ASBA members, but this year’s award-winning projects demonstrate true excellence,” he said. “Not only are they designed and built to exacting standards, as well as being aesthetically beautiful, but they also provide an excellent playing experience for the athletes who use them and the spectators who come to watch them. »
The Hudsonville facility was built by West Michigan architecture firm GMB and construction firm Owen-Ames-Kimball Co.
GMB landscape architect Matt Heidloff said the spaces on the grounds truly capture the essence of Hudsonville and serve as a source of inspiration for students.
“This project not only unifies the campus, but also creates a state-of-the-art facility where students and their families can feel welcome and proud.” »
The project was financed by a $140 million bond approved by nearly 70% of Hudsonville voters in 2019.
It is one of two Michigan projects to win an award this year, along with the outdoor multi-court facility at Woodhaven High School in Flat Rock and the pickleball courts at the Country Club of Detroit Grosse Pointe Farms.
Hudsonville residents interested in touring the land can do so by registering online. The indoor track is open to the public for walking and jogging from 5:45 a.m. to 7:15 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, January 6 through March 28.
The East gymnasium is open for team basketball from 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for 11 months of the year, excluding July, holidays and school break.
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