Summer Construction, Refurbishing Projects Ongoing at WT

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

Summer Construction, Refurbishing Projects Ongoing at WT

CANYON, Texas — Almost $12 million in campus refurbishment projects are underway this summer at West Texas A&M University.

“We’re finishing out roof replacements after the 2025 hail storms, as well as doing deferred maintenance and repairing mechanical issues,” said Dr. Todd McNeill, vice president for business and finance. “We try to do the majority of these projects in the summer to be less disruptive to campus activities.”

Among the most prominent projects is a $37,614 refurbishment of the recreational pool inside Virgil Henson Activities Center. The project will revitalize the pool by repairing pool concrete, removing rust from the slide and stairs, adding a new sanitization system, and more.

Because the pool will need to be drained, it will close from July 31 to Aug. 30, said Becky Warren, interim director of WT Recreational Sports.

“We know that this will be a temporary inconvenience for WT students and community residents who have VHAC memberships or purchase passes to use the pool,” Warren said. “But these are necessary improvements that will make it possible for the recreational pool to continue to offer fun and exercise opportunities for years to come.”

The VHAC offers four membership options for WT employees, alumni, community members and senior citizens. The center also is available to those who purchase daily or weekend passes.

Other refurbishment projects around campus include about $5 million in roof replacements on six buildings; a $1.7 million replacement of the air handling unit in Old Main; about $100,000 in sprinkler repairs; more than $500,000 in projects at Palo Duro Research Facility, including ongoing work on research labs for Pantex; and more than $100,000 in concrete, asphalt and parking lot restriping projects.

Providing student-centered campuses and facilities is a key principle of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which raised more than $200 million dollars, the largest such campaign in Texas Panhandle history.

About West Texas A&M University

West Texas A&M University is a Regional Research University in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers multiple options for students to graduate and succeed: 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 16 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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