WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

[ronfitch]

For those of you who never knew UNI without the Dome, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier has a nice little editorial in today's edition with some history.

Growing up in Cedar Falls in the '70s, I remember going to games at Latham, located where the parking lot between the Schnidler Education Center and Hudson Road now sits. There was an indoor, dirt, oval running track in the West bleachers (I recall it was an odd distance) and the place smelled faintly of dirt and leather.

I also remember the building of the Dome. It was a newsworthy project but also controversial at the time. According this editorial, the final cost was $7.4 million when it opened in '76.

The editorial is here:
http://tinyurl.com/27l9eg

[Purple Reign]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

For those of you who never knew UNI without the Dome, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier has a nice little editorial in today's edition with some history.

Growing up in Cedar Falls in the '70s, I remember going to games at Latham, located where the parking lot between the Schnidler Education Center and Hudson Road now sits. There was an indoor, dirt, oval running track in the West bleachers (I recall it was an odd distance) and the place smelled faintly of dirt and leather.

I also remember the building of the Dome. It was a newsworthy project but also controversial at the time. According this editorial, the final cost was $7.4 million when it opened in '76.

The editorial is here:
http://tinyurl.com/27l9eg

Sorry for the trip down memory lane, but I spent 2 of my 6 1/2 years at UNI raising money to build the Dome. I consider myself very fortunate to have worked with Stan on his dream. Every time I enter the Dome, I reflect back to those early days when so many people told us our dream would never happen. I won't bore you with the stories, but I've often thought of writing a reflective of those years. From calling on service clubs with Stan, carrying a huge model of his dream, to the ground breaking, to the first time we turned on the fans to inflate the roof.

Sorry, I'll save my memories for the book. But that Courier editorial brought it all back.

PR

[BCPanther]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

I would love to hear EVERY ONE of those memories PR!!

[Newsbreaker]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

I would love to hear EVERY ONE of those memories PR!!

Make that two of us!

[Purple For Life]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

Make that two of us!

Make that three!

[caagman]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

That's a great article. I too would love to hear the memories!

[KansasCityPanther]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

Does anyone remember it took several years of saving money to be able afford seats on the west side?

[JayJ79]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

Always like hearing personal accounts of stuff like that.

In fact, the "Panther History" segments on the "Panther Plus" shows always catch my interest. Not that they are necessarily "personal accounts". but anyway.

[PantherFan]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

Absolutely, PR. Would love to hear your memories.

[Panther89]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

I remember Latham field, as it was still there when I came to UNI in 84. The marching band used to practice there, until they turned it into a parking lot in 87. Seems to me that where the old field was positioned, some of those games probably got downright cold and windy. I fully remember having to practice marching band outside during that first playoff run in 1985, and some of those days we practiced were downright cold out there. We did secure the dome a few times to practice, but due to the needs of the athletic dept. we wouldn't get to use the dome until 10 p.m., so we'd have some 10-midnight marching band rehearsals, but it beat freezing one's butt off outside!
Anyway, the dome has been a great thing for everyone. I just wish it were a little bigger!

[anthropanther]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

I just wish it were a little bigger!

By bigger: More Women's Bathrooms! It is downright awkward and frustrating standing for 20 minutes for the bathroom and then everyone saying, "What just happened?" all the time. IMHO.

[Newsbreaker]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

By bigger: More Women's Bathrooms! It is downright awkward and frustrating standing for 20 minutes for the bathroom and then everyone saying, "What just happened?" all the time. IMHO.

Maybe it can't be done, but why isn't the radio broadcast on in the bathrooms???

[anthropanther]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

No clue but it isn't. There's an unspoken rule that pregnant women and children are rushed to the front because well a 20 minute wait is to long for them, so at least we are handling it well, but I'm not kidding not sure how to get more bathrooms but when we sell out women have to head to the MacLeod center and then rush back.

[84Alum]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

No clue but it isn't. There's an unspoken rule that pregnant women and children are rushed to the front because well a 20 minute wait is to long for them, so at least we are handling it well, but I'm not kidding not sure how to get more bathrooms but when we sell out women have to head to the MacLeod center and then rush back.

Simple Answer = Hijack a kid from someone and go to the head of the line!

I started UNI in 1981, so the Dome was obviously up and running for several years, but the "newness" still hadn't worn off. We used to go in there at night, and play frisbee and just mess around...great fun! Latham Field was still around - it's where the Lite Beer Tug-O-War was held. (I still have my trophy!)

[anthropanther]

Re: WCF Courier: "Dreams come true in the UNI-Dome"

Lite Beer Tug-O-War, okay I gotta hear more about that.