Johnson Center

What Its About

Johnson Center was completed in 1957 in the southern area of the main UNM campus with the purpose of bringing physical and recreational intelligence to the students of UNM. Named after a prestigious head coach of UNM, Roy W. Johnson, the gymnasium hosted basketball games, volleyball games, physical education courses, and has of course undergone a handful of renovations. Today it still holds up as the physical education and recreation institution for students at UNM, solidifying its importance as a part of the Main Campus.

Having A Presence

When it was completed in 1957, Johnson Center was well supported by large parking lots in preparation to support everyone coming to see the games of the season that would be held in the main gymnasium. These were going to be big games as the main stadium could support 8250 audience members with 3050 of them being removable bleachers. The entire structure was 170,000 square feet and had 314 rooms complete with swimming pool, a smaller gymnasium, handball courts, offices, and more. It was a beast of building and was designed to be

</figure> because it not only accommodated UNM’s sports events but was hub for physical education for graduate and undergraduate students alike.

Growth and Renovations

Being the sports and physical studies hub of a growing and changing university Johnson Center had to grow and change as well to adapt to its surroundings. Johnson Center claimed the better part of the southern campus for about 9 years when Popejoy Hall was finally complete in 1966 just west of Johnson. Then just 2 years later the Student Health Center was completed north of Johnson Center, the campus was changing and Johnson Center had to as well.

Fortunately Johnson Center was built to have a lot of space and the completion of The Pit in 1967, which became the new host for basketball games, meant Johnson Center now had lots to expand into while ironically not needing to expand a lot. In 2000 a north wing was completed on Johnson that held a new olympic sized natatorium for the UNM swim team and expanded UNM swim based physical education. Today, in 2019, Johnson Center is bein expanded in the southeast corner bringing a new entrance into the new lobby, a rec center, new cardio and rock climbing room, and a little more. It is an exciting project scheduled to be complete in 2020.

About Roy W. Johnson

Roy W. Johnson, born 1892 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, joined UNM Faculty in 1920 as head coach of the Football, Basketball, and Track team while also establishing the beginnings of a physical education program. He was an all around athletic man who broke records in strong man competitions in 1915, dabbled in theater like playing the role of Hamlet, and was a mainstay in the Michigan football team in 1919 after returning from his service in the army. He spent 37 years as head coach for these teams and a few others here and in 1952 was reminded of his part in the lives of all UNM athletes and the great impact he made to UNM.

Bibliography

• University of New Mexico. Dept. of Facility Planning Records, 1889-, Collection UNMA 028, Stack 22 Drawer 3. Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.

• University of New Mexico. Dept. of Facility Planning Records, 1889-, Collection UNMA 028, Stack 12 Drawer 2. Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.

• University of New Mexico. Dept. of Facility Planning Records, 1889-, Collection UNMA 028, Stack 8 Drawer 2. Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.

• Williams, Katie. “Johnson Center Expansion and Renovation Makes Significant Progress.” UNM Newsroom. February 16, 2019. Accessed May 11, 2019. https://news.unm.edu/news/johnson-center-expansion-and-renovation-makes-significant-progress.