EUGENE, Ore. -- (July 6, 2010) - The clutter is gone, most of the construction is complete and the University of Oregon's Outdoor Program is in full-tilt summer mode with a renovated and expanded "barn" at the northeast corner of University Street and 18th Avenue.
The $500,000 remodeling project - which began last December, and closed the barn for more than a month this spring - has made life better for both employees and customers, Outdoor Program Director Dan Geiger says.
"It provides us more physical space for rental equipment, and also relieves some of the cramped feel," Geiger says. "There's also a much-improved customer-service experience."
The project has added a new storefront and customer service area, a small administrative office, a covered storage area for rafting equipment and bicycles, and a covered workspace and drive-through loading zone. All upgrades are expected to be completed this summer.
It also added a rainwater catchment system with a 3,000-gallon capacity, which provides cleaned and pressurized water for irrigation, toilet flushing and clothes washing.
The barn currently serves three primary functions: it is the program's gear-rental center; it houses a do-it-yourself bike shop; and it is the spot where trips arranged by Outdoor Program members begin and end.
The UO Outdoor Program was launched in 1967 as a first-of-its-kind outdoor adventure cooperative - initially, little more than a bulletin board in the EMU where students arranged to share rides for wilderness trips. The program moved into its current office and information center in the EMU basement in 1980, and its barn was built in 1991. Its Gear Rental Program began in 2003, and its Bike Loan Program started in 2008.
The Outdoor Program began accumulating rafting equipment early on, and it now offers water sport equipment including river rafts, float tubes, hardshell river kayaks and sea kayaks. It also has an inventory of hiking and camping gear, climbing equipment and both snowboard and snowshoe rentals.
A limited number of bicycles are also available for rent, and about 85 bikes - most of them renovated after being recovered by the UO Department of Public Service - are available to students through the Bike Loan Program for $12 per term.
All UO students are considered members of the Outdoor Program cooperative, and non-students can join - and become eligible for equipment rentals and trips - at $12 per year for UO faculty, staff and alumni, and $15 per year for general public.
About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of the 63 leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.
Contact: Joe Mosley, media relations, Phone 541-346-3606, jmosley@uoregon.edu
Source: Dave Villalobos, Outdoor Program Trip Facility Manager, 541-346-4371, dvillalo@uoregon.edu