Even before all of the increased attention toward its football team, the University of Waterloo was showing its support of the athletics department and student body in a significant way.

With a $41-million expansion already in progress, which will enhance and connect the pre-existing Student Life Centre and Physical Activities Complex, ground is now set to be broken for a new field house by January.

According to director of athletics and recreation Roly Webster, the price tag for the multi-function field-turf building is “roughly” $15 million — which they “have the commitment from the university to fund that portion.”

“At Waterloo, we have a tonne of engagement and there’s a tonne of demand, so that really helped our case in terms of support to provide more space for students to take a break from academics to create community and be engaged with student life,” said Webster, who joined the Warriors in 2014.

“The reality was nobody would argue that our facilities need lots of work,” he said, adding, “The priority of the institution … is to create a vibrant student experience and (the athletics department) needs to play a massive role in that.”

Noting that the field house will have a September completion deadline, Webster stressed that focus of its usage will be “recreation first, but definitely will have an ability for our varsity field sports to train and practice there” — meaning cricket and quidditch clubs will share the 100-by-50-foot field with the likes of the resurgent football team.

Chris Bertoia, the head coach of that squad, readily admitted that the new facility will be “great for program development, great for individual player development,” the former of which is “on its way back” to the most recent Yates Cup-winning days of the late 90s.

“It’s obviously great for our athletics, but it’s also encompassing of the students too and adding to their overall experience,” said Bertoia, a Waterloo alum who was hired just months after Webster.

After spending almost two decades in higher education at Wilfrid Laurier University in various capacities, including athletics and recreation, Webster noted that “there’s been nothing but support (for athletics) since I arrived.

“We’ve had great leadership from our president (Feridun Hamdullahpur) … to student leadership,” he said.