Speculation of future construction over the “Owls Nest” will deprive student-athletes of a safe, outdoor recreation space. Kennesaw State should consider providing an alternative, local area for students to use after construction.
According to prior reporting from the Sentinel, the Nest’s facilities are planning to be knocked down to make room for new baseball and softball fields. While new fields provide competition space for teams, demolishing the current facilities sacrifices space previously used for training and recreation by students since 2009.
KSU Sports and Recreation writes that the Owl’s Nest is currently used by over 330 intramural teams — groups of self-organized student teams who compete out of love for their sport — and 42 club teams. It also provides weight rooms, student meeting rooms, offices and two fields open to all KSU students.
The space is a hub for student training and programming, which provides important health resources and a sense of community on campus.
While construction turns the Owl’s Nest to rubble to make way for money-earning baseball games, students lose what was once their space to invest in the health of their bodies — and to have fun.
As a result, loyal participants of the Owl’s Nest will be pushed to another athletic complex called the Perch, located behind the football stadium, according to prior reporting from the Sentinel. While this idea proves functional in theory, it is likely to result in overcrowding and inconvenience.
Already, the Perch hosts over 137,000 visitors annually, according to descriptions by the KSU Sports and Entertainment Parks. It does not provide any indoor space for weights and is often occupied by large group events such as the KSU Annual Daffodil Dash, which is a 5k that runs the perimeter of the facility, according to the Department of Sport and Recreation.
With so many people fighting to use the same space, facilities such as the Perch lose its attraction, especially for those depending on it during the absence of the Owl’s Nest.
Additionally, while the Owl’s Nest is a stroll down Campus Loop Road and therefore easy access to students living in dorms, the Perch requires driving across Chastain Road. This inconvenience may seem minor, however, for those who face walking to the facilities it becomes dangerous — especially after dark when sporting events typically end.
Georgia is already rated the sixth most dangerous state for pedestrians, according to an article by Curbed, and athletes should not have to put themselves in danger when they seek to exercise.
Understandably, a university such as KSU seeks to use its property to its fullest financial potential. However, in exchange for these baseball and softball fields, students lose a space that was theirs to practice healthy habits.
Considering that students already pay a Sports and Recreation Parks fee of $80 every semester, KSU should provide an alternate space for those who relied on the Owl’s Nest — a space without overcrowding or the risk of walking across a major highway.
