History
Raymond B. Preston was the founder of PB & S Chemical and a Veteran of World War II.
Raymond and his wife, Hattie, met while they were both attending WKU and were married
two years later. In honor of their 50th wedding anniversary the Preston’s and the
Preston Foundation made the single largest gift ever made to WKU, enabling construction
to begin on the Raymond B. Preston Health and Activities Center.
The state of the art facility opened in 1992, offering intramural and recreational activities to the students of Western Kentucky University. As the student population at WKU grew so did the need for more recreation programs and facilities. The Intramural Recreational Sports program gained a lot of attention with the addition of The Hattie L. Preston Intramural Sports Complex. This 24-acre outdoor sports facility was completed in 2000 and is located on Campbell Lane and Industrial Drive.
The program continued to grow as another outdoor element was constructed on the Universities Agriculture Farm. The Western Kentucky Challenge course was completed in 2005 creating a recreational opportunity that WKU was missing. This outdoor challenge course offers experiences that provide a sense of accomplishment and develop leadership with numerous low rope elements and a 45-foot high ropes course that features a zip line. This was made possible as the Intramural Recreational Sports Department (now known as Campus Recreation & Wellness) partnered with, Department of Agriculture, Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport, College of Health and Human Services, and the Office of the Provost.
Our walls and programs continued to grow even further with the expansion and renovation of the Raymond B. Preston Center, which was completed in the spring of 2010. Our department and facilities have grown since the construction of the original building in 1992 and we will continue to grow and strive for best. For further details on each department or construction details please check out more of our web site.
View video about the history and growth of the Campus Recreation & Wellness Department.
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