IMA Building celebrates 50 years of playtime

Since the late 1960s, students who wanted to clear their heads and have some fun headed down to the IMA Building, the brainchild of former UW Recreation Director John Pariseau, ’60, ’62.

UW Recreation is nationally known for providing students, faculty and staff a wide range of offerings: fitness and sports classes, recreation clubs, intramural sports, swimming, a climbing center, courts and fields, a golf range, UWild Adventures, and the waterfront. You name it, you can do it with UW Recreation.

Since the 1960s, the IMA Building has changed a lot and is now just one part of the larger UW Recreation department. “The building may be turning 50 but the goal is still the same,” says current UW Recreation Director Matt Newman, “to give students a reason to do movement.” The IMA Building has added programs over the years to keep up with the changing student demographic such as expanded yoga and meditation and indoor cycling. And, yes, log rolling.

What’s your favorite IMA memory? Share in the comments!