History of the UF Division of Student Affairs | Page 95

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Recreational Sports
T h e E a r ly Y e a r s . . . i n c l u d i n g L a k e W a u b u r g
The early history of the Department of Recreational Sports is hard to track
because few records exist. However, there are records of intramural games
being played at UF during World War I; records of sports clubs and intramural
games headed by faculty in the College of Health and Human Performance in
the 1940s; and records of the acquisition of property at Lake Wauburg.
In 1918, the University YMCA purchased 20 acres of land and water at Lake
Wauburg as a recreation center for UF students. In 1928 Dr. John Tigert became
president of UF, the University YMCA dissolved, and the Lake Wauburg land
was deeded to UF. The University Union staff took over administration of Lake
Wauburg (known then as Camp Wauberg) in 1936, and the official transfer of
the property to UF occurred in 1938. Stipulations in the court order under which
UF acquired the property in 1938 held that the property was for the use of UF
students and could not be sold or transferred to any other party.
In 1939, a recreation center and a small residence were built on the property.
Today both are renovated and currently in use. At that time, all costs for the
administration of Lake Wauburg fell under the University Union budget. The
Union sought funding support from the UF administration which was denied.
Lake Wauburg was closed in 1970 due to a lack of funds and the deterioration
of the facilities.
Lake Wauburg North reopened in 1974 under the administration of the
Department of Intramural Athletics and Recreation. The reopening was funded
by a reserve fee allocation which was matched by other funds from within and
outside UF. UF President E.T. York agreed to provide routine Physical Plant
services for maintenance. The North Park has been continually operated since
1974 with Student Government funding, assistance from the College of Health
and Human Performance, and now the Department of Recreational Sports.
In 1962-63, UF Student Government acquired what is currently known as Lake
Wauburg South Shore from the University Athletic Association. The University
Athletic Association purchased the 72-acre (30.2 acres under water) parcel
of land from a private citizen in 1958 to be used as a retreat facility, but no
development of the land occurred.

Depa rtment histor ies : Recr eational sports