In the fall of 1998, Hamline officially opened the Lloyd W.D. Walker Fieldhouse. The uniquely designed facility gave a new home to the Piper Athletic Department as well as a gymnastics training facility among numerous other functions.
The $8.5 million dollar facility was named in honor of Lloyd W.D. Walker, Hamline class of 1929. His son, Gordon Walker donated the lead gift of $5 million dollars to enable the construction of the facility to begin in 1996.
Walker Fieldhouse includes a three-court gym, which accommodates recreation and athletic practices for tennis, track, baseball, fastpitch softball, basketball and volleyball. The fieldhouse also includes a fully equipped gymnastics facility, an indoor running track, a strength and fitness weight room, three racquetball courts, and a state-of-the-art sports medicine room.
The indoor running track has the unique feature of being raised and connected to the weight room on the second floor of the fieldhouse. On the floor of the gym area, there is a five-lane, 85-meter long track chute. There is also a jump pit for used for long and triple jump training as well as a pole vault pit.
Hamline’s gymnastics team trains in the gymnastics facility that offers more than 6,500 square feet of space to accommodate all the standard competitive equipment, including: a 52-foot resi-pit for uneven bars, tumbling and vaulting 30-foot TumblTrak, Nissen Goliath Trampoline and an extra long channel bar. Additionally, two climbing ropes used for strength training of gymnasts were installed in the summer of 2004.
The weight training and fitness room houses 4,000 square feet of exercise equipment including: strength training machines, tread mills, rowing machines, exercise bikes, elliptical machines, as well as the standard free weight sets.
Walker Fieldhouse contains a state-of-the-art sports medicine facility. Piper athletes have access to a hydrotherapy room, a user-friendly equipment area for injury treatment, rehabilitation, and taping. There is also a physician’s exam room and a conference room within the sports medicine center.
Additionally, Walker Fieldhouse contains the offices of Hamline’s athletic director, administrative assistants, and the offices of many Piper team coaches. Contained in the facility are also locker rooms, a video room for coaches, and storage rooms.
Hamline’s A.G. Bush Student Center is also connected to Walker and the Pipers' Bush Student Center Swimming Pool connects the student center with Hutton Arena, which also allows access to Walker.
Lloyd W.D. Walker was born in 1899 and when he came to Hamline, he intended to go into pre-med. But a serious eye problem forced him to postpone his college education for roughly 10 years. He returned to Hamline later on to pursue a career in education.
Upon his graduation in 1929, Walker became a teacher, principal and superintendent in the Minnesota public schools system. He was also an avid basketball fan and enjoyed watching the great Piper basketball teams.
By Aaron Swanum
Walker Fieldhouse and Bush Center Swimming Pool Hours
