By Brian Dillon
Staff Writer

Purdue Crew has started its campaign to raise $3.5 million for its new rowing complex. Officially announced back in February, an artist's rendering of the proposed building has since been released.

It will have many more updated facilities than the current building and will be closer to campus, finding its home near the pedestrian bridge on the West Lafayette side of the Wabash River.

With multiple docks, four times as much storage area for boats, an observation tower, weight room, locker rooms and even a training facility with room for a possible indoor training tank, it will be more than just a boathouse.

Slated to be up and ready in summer 2002, it will be a welcome addition for the team. The 25,000-square foot building will be roughly eight times bigger than the current one.

"There's not even enough room for all our boats now," said David Kucik, coach of Purdue Crew.

The current building is 19 years old and is three miles south of the campus on South River Road. The new site will be much more convenient, with it being significantly closer to Purdue.

As for coming up with $3.5 million for the building, a number of private resources will be utilized. Crew alumni, approximately 1,800 of them presently, will be the most important source.

The University is contributing money as well but is also lending help by making it an official University fund-raising campaign. For the past year, a committee of Purdue faculty has been doing the planning on the project.

The facility will help the team in many ways. Maybe the most important deals with the team's reputation around Purdue.

"The visibility for the athletes will increase 1,000-fold with it being in the downtown area," said Kucik.

Many members of the team feel they don't get as much recognition as they deserve.

"When I tell people I'm on crew, they think it's some sort of racing pit crew," said Bridget Maddox, captain of the team and a sophomore in the Schools of Engineering.

It will be a great venue for the two or three annual competitions that Purdue holds. Kucik believes the conditions on that stretch of the Wabash are as good as it gets.

"The stretch of water from the pedestrian bridge to the 52 bridge is one of the best places to hold a regatta anywhere in the country … It's really a fine, fine stretch of water," Kucik said.

Maddox agrees.

"It (the new complex) is a good opportunity to practice on better rowing conditions," said Maddox

With trails on both sides of the river, fans can even follow the races as they progress. With all the amenities the building will have, Kucik believes that all of them are necessary.

"There's nothing in the facility that has a frill at all. Our athletes deserve everything in it," said Kucik.

To raise $3.5 million in two years is not easy. Even Kucik realizes that the development plans are aggressive in regards to the timing.

Even with all the crew alumni out there to ask for donations, it is still a lot of money to raise. Kucik is optimistic and thinks the alumni will come through. He thinks their dedication and love for crew, even after they have moved on, will make them want to help out in any way they can.

"They become pretty much a fanatic (toward crew). The thing that draws them together to support this is the fact that the bond they built here goes beyond any other," Kucik said.

Categorized as a club sport, the current crew program consists of 100 members, 14 boats and three coaches. According to Kucik, it is the size of some collegiate programs. Because it is a club sport, though, members have to pay for many of the fees. Recent years have seen the need for a $1,500 annual fee.

Although there are many things that need to happen before the program graduates to the collegiate level, there's one main factor that stands in the way.

"It's purely a money issue … It'd be great if it could (go collegiate). If not, that's not going to keep them from competing collegiately," said Kucik.

This is referring to the fact that although the team is club, it frequently competes against collegiate teams in the competitions it attends.