The Oregon State Legislature has approved $42 million in state-backed bonds to support construction of a student health and recreation center at Oregon State University – Cascades, marking a milestone in the campus’s development.
The planned 40,000‑square‑foot facility will be the first comprehensive on‑campus center dedicated to student health, wellness and recreation. Currently, students have access only to a small fitness room located within the residential hall. The new building will substantially expand opportunities for physical activity, preventive care and mental health services, resources proven to enhance student wellbeing and academic success.
The building will provide flexible indoor spaces for fitness and recreation, dedicated space for clinical health services and mental health counseling, and two all-purpose outdoor recreation fields.
“The student health and recreation center will deliver essential services that directly support student life, learning and retention, and reap rewards for student success and the local, regional and state economies,” said Sherm Bloomer, chancellor and dean of OSU‑Cascades.
Bloomer noted that the project is especially critical to under-represented, first generation, low income and rural students, many who have little access to health and wellness services.
The funding will also support 24 acres of land remediation, which will provide additional buildable land for the center, as well as for future academic buildings and student housing which will be needed as student enrollment continues to grow.
“I’m very grateful to the Oregon Legislature for this investment and recognizing the importance of OSU-Cascades to our region. I’m also deeply appreciative of the student and community leaders who have advocated tirelessly for a student health and recreation center,” said Bloomer.
OSU-Cascades students played a pivotal role in advancing the project. In 2017 students voted to increase student fees in response to the need for on-campus recreation and health services and committed $20 million for the project.
“Students have said for years that access to health and wellness resources is essential to our success. This investment shows student voices matter, and we’re proud to have helped make this project a reality,” said Whitney McFarlane, president of the Associated Students of Cascades Campus.
Senator Anthony Broadman submitted the project for consideration by the legislature and advocated for it throughout the session alongside his colleagues in the Central Oregon delegation.
“I’m especially grateful to students for helping make the Student Success Center possible,” said Broadman. “And I’m proud to support OSU-Cascades as a driver of economic development and will continue to champion its success in Salem.”
Construction is expected to begin in 2028, following land remediation efforts. The building will be located on the remediated site and will leverage the campus’s geo-exchange system for heating and cooling, contributing to net zero energy goals for the campus.