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Black and white photograph of two men leaving the Sparks Center, a large concrete background.

Lestle J. Sparks Center 

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Written by Hannah Mosher, Class of 2026

The Lestle J. Sparks Center is Willamette University’s sports and fitness center. Upon its completion in March of 1974, the Sparks Center became integral to Willamette’s Campus and the greater Salem community. The university’s previous gym, built in 1923 and consisting of 30,000 square feet of floor space, proved to be inadequate in comparison to other collegiate athletic facilities in the Pacific Northwest due to its inability to accommodate student activities and physical education classes for the growing student body.1 By 1970 “Willamette now enrolled over 1200 undergraduates, and the gym could serve only 50 percent of the university’s physical education classes.”2 These issues prompted university administration to look into building a facility to serve both their students recreational and educational needs and those of the surrounding community of Salem as well. 

The new facility, designed by architect James Payne, was planned to cover 72,757 square feet of floor space. The building was “divided into three distinct blocks: the east section held a field house; the west unit contained a small multi-purpose gymnasium; while the connecting center section housed the swimming facilities, various offices, class and locker rooms, and the main entryway to the entire structure.”3 The building’s architectural style of “expressionist modernism” reflected that of the Putnam University Center which Payne had designed a few years earlier.4 Inflation in the 1970’s pushed up the costs of construction, resulting in changes to the original building plan. The largest cost reduction came from changing the building’s roof system from truss-spanned to a joist system, which brought the anticipated cost to $2.6 million in June of 1972. After nearly two years of construction, the Sparks Center opened its doors in March of 1974. The building was dedicated on May 11, 1974 to Lestle J. Sparks, an alumnus from the class of 1919 in recognition of his 55 years of history with Willamette, first as a student, then as teacher and coach.5 

One crucial aspect in the conception of the Sparks Center was the community outreach it would provide. The university promoted this value during and after construction, circulating informational booklets about the new facility which highlighted the building as a PERC or physical education and recreation center. This designation was meant to emphasize the facilities recreation element to meet the needs of both students and off-campus community members. Community members would have access to Sparks through “swimming and water safety lessons, sports camps, tournaments, and other instructional opportunities” that were planned as part of off-campus community use.6 In the summer of 1974, the university planned a schedule and rate system for community use of Sparks Center. Use of the facilities was available on a membership basis for $50 per person during the summer months. Sparks also offered an hourly rate for use of the swimming pool, handball courts, and indoor/ outdoor tennis courts. The field house and gym were available to be rented by the day.7

In 1972, as the facility was under construction, the community benefits of the Sparks Center began to be discussed. The new field house would have retractable bleachers that could seat 3,000 people for basketball games and when the bleachers were removed numerous kinds of events were imagined to be possible such as conventions and concerts. In the early 1970’s Salem lacked a major hotel or adequate concert hall, leading the public to look towards the Sparks Center to host these events.8 This potential came to fruition when after popular demand by the student body for a concert, the Associated Students of Willamette University (ASWU) arranged for the rock band Rare Earth to play in Sparks Center on November 24th, 1974. The concert had 1,400 attendees. Reflecting on the event, an editorial in the Willamette Collegian exclaimed, “The future of concerts at Willamette looks infinitely brighter than it did before the concert.”9 The Sparks Center continued to be used by external groups as when the Salem Shrine Club organized five charity performances of the Hubert Castle Circus in 1979.10

In addition to hosting public events, the construction of Sparks enhanced intercollegiate athletic programs at Willamette and improved facilities and scheduling for intramural sports. The building housed a new swimming pool which gave the Willamette swim team their own practice space, whereas before they were forced to use the crowded YWCA pool.11 Additionally, Sparks had a new basketball court with synthetic floors and modern court dimensions in contrast with the old gym as well as practice space for the wrestling team. In terms of intramurals, the facility emphasized more “flexibility and opportunity for individual and team participation” as one of its core values. The old gym had a limited capacity for intramural activities, especially for women. In the new facility, additional activities were to be added to the program and participation would be expanded and encouraged.12 In 1933 the university had four official intramural sports for men and various club organizations for women.13 By 1974 that number had risen to a total of 17 intramural sports with over 600 men and women participating.14

The building was updated in 1995 and featured an improved weight room for which new equipment was provided with funds raised by country singer Dolly Parton. In September 1989, Parton attended Willamette’s alumni football game at McCulloch Stadium at which she announced a benefit concert produced by her friend and Willamette football alum, Heine Fountain. The concert was held at the Oregon State Fair in August of 1990 and raised 40,000 dollars to help expand the Sparks weight room and purchase new equipment.15 The 1995 renovation also included more office space, new locker rooms, a deck on the second floor, and an elevator among other additions.16

The facility underwent another major renovation in 2014.  The racquetball courts were repurposed into a multipurpose rooms and circuit training spaces.17 The additional space expanded the fitness center into three zones: Olympic style lifting, circuit training and cardio. New exercise equipment was installed, the gym floor resurfaced and the swimming pool was painted. The renovation also resulted in seven separate team locker rooms and two gender-neutral restrooms. Willamette University Director of Athletics at the time noted that renovation was a step forward in promoting equity the University’s athletic teams.18 The Sparks Center has gone through many changes since its completion in 1974 yet remains a center of community for the public and Willamette students alike.

Written Fall 2024

Endnotes

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  1. ˆ “A place to play,” 1.
  2. ˆ Willingham, 150.
  3. ˆ Willingham, 151.
  4. ˆ Willingham, 152.
  5. ˆ “Sparks Jumping,” 7.
  6. ˆ “A place to play,” 5.
  7. ˆ “WU Sparks Center Summer Slate Set,” 17.
  8. ˆ “Photocopy of a news clipping about the building of Sparks Center,” 1.
  9. ˆ Pendergrass, 2.
  10. ˆ Statesman Journal, 13.
  11. ˆ Lestle Sparks Physical Education & Recreation Center Nears Completion, 2.
  12. ˆ Lestle Sparks Physical Education & Recreation Center Nears Completion, 2.
  13. ˆ Wallulah 1937, 128, 132-135.
  14. ˆ Lestle J. Sparks Physical Education – Recreation Center, 4.
  15. ˆ Samora
  16. ˆ Willingham, 190.
  17. ˆ “Sparks Gets a Facelift” 6.
  18. ˆ “Phase Two nears completion”, 8.

Works Referenced

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Image Citations

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