Construction officially began in November on the highly-anticipated Sandra Stetson Aquatic Center, a Stetson University facility that will provide a permanent home for Stetson’s intercollegiate rowing teams, along with study/research space. What many are not aware of is that the new facility will also give public access to Lake Beresford as part of the center’s 10-acre site.
For men’s and women’s rowing, there will be storage for dozens of boats on the first floor, as well as training equipment. The second floor will support academic use, as well as activities of the Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience, and will be completed in a second phase as soon as additional funds are available. It will house classroom and research areas, with glass walls on three sides and a balcony. Outside, trails and elevated walkways will lead to the water’s edge.
However, Stetson students, DeLand residents and visitors can also take advantage of the new facility. Available will be nonmotorized access to the lake. For those that enjoy kayaking or canoeing, this will be a safe place to launch those types of watercraft. Lake Beresford is a vast lake that has much to explore. It is a picturesque place to view wildlife such as alligators, birds and fish while also getting in a little exercise. Kayaks and canoes are also great to fish from, making it stealthy to hook a large mouth bass at dusk along the lake’s weed-line.
In an article published by Stetson University, vice president for Facilities Managment, Al Allen stated, “We are going to wind up with an iconic building that meets our student rowers’ needs and eventually meets all the needs for academics and the [Stetson Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience], and we give the public a beautiful place to access the lake.”
Named after the great-granddaughter of the university’s namesake, John B. Stetson, the center comes by virtue of Sandra Stetson’s $6 million donation plus a $400,000 Volusia County ECHO grant (for environmental, cultural, historical and outdoor recreation projects). The initial phase of construction, costing approximately $6.2 million, is planned for completion on Oct. 31, 2018.
