ISU’s Outdoor Adventure Center, 220 North Main, opened its doors to students in 1974 and officially closed them last Friday.

Dawn Sanner, executive director of the Campus Recreation and Fitness Center, said that it made the most sense to close the OAC and move to a different location.

“We took a look at the revenue coming in, labor statistics and the available funding and decided to move out of the current location,” Sanner said.

Immediately, some equipment will be kept at the Student Fitness Center, while larger items such as boats will be stored off-site.

Sanner said that the new outdoor equipment rental venue will likely be located in the Student Fitness Center. The second floor of the fitness center is currently undergoing re-design. The equipment rental will move into the fitness center in fall 2013.

Despite the closing of the OAC building, Bill James, assistant director of outdoor and non-credit programs, said that the Outdoor Adventure Program will not be affected.

“There is still a full line of outdoor adventure programs for the fall,” James said.

Among the activities offered are the climbing wall in the Student Fitness Center, team building opportunities and workshops.

James added that ISU group rentals would still be available. Once campus recreation has a new venue for rentals, ISU student, staff and faculty individual rentals will resume. Equipment rentals will no longer be available to the community.

“Once reservations for groups are made, we will work out the details of the reservation and pick-up site,” James said.

The closing of the OAC and the consolidation of Campus Recreation services will be beneficial for students, Sanner added.

“It will be convenient to have every aspect of the Outdoor Adventure Program operate out of one venue, and we won’t have to advertise and market a separate building to students,” Sanner added.

Groups interested in group rentals can call the Student Fitness Center at 309-438-7529.