Contentious athletic complex gets 'yes' vote at University of Windsor

Undergraduate students at the University of Windsor have said 'yes' to building a new athletics facility.

A referendum to approve the proposed $73 million complex passed by about 64 per cent Thursday night.

• University of Windsor students approve $73M sports upgrade
• $73M University of Windsor athletics facility put to vote

University of Windsor Lancers women's basketball team coach, Chantal Vallée said her team was eagerly awaiting the result of the vote during practice. As she was checking her phone to see if the results had come in someone came running into the gym and yelled, "We got it!"

"We were practicing beside the men's volleyball team and we all erupted in cheers," she said. "Everybody was hugging each other and being incredibly happy. There were actually some tears I think." 

Students are expected to pay $125 annually starting in late 2019 to fund the project, which was subjected to several votes before passing.

Graduate students already voted to approve the project in November of last year.

The new facility will help keep people at the university physically and mentally fit, said Michael Khan, dean of human kinetics at the school, who congratulated the students on the vote.

According to Khan, the next step is to get all of the student presidents to sign an agreement on the result of the vote before it goes to the board of governors for final approval.

He's hopeful construction on the new athletic complex will be completed in three to four years.