Outdoor Adventure Center to remain open

Washington County Community College (WCCC) has undergone a sudden restructuring of its Outdoor Adventure Center (OAC) in response to financial challenges and low event enrollments -- but the center will remain open for students and the public to access recreational equipment. Confusion over the status of the OAC mounted recently when the center's full time coordinator position was unexpectedly cut and the possible closure of the center was rumored.
 "The college has not closed the Outdoor Adventure Center, and the center resources remain available to WCCC students and community members," states WCCC President Susan Mingo in a press release. "The college has ended full-time staffing at the center, and visitors may access the center by appointment."
 Part of the college's decision comes from financial losses that had been ongoing for four years, Mingo states, prompting the return to "our prior mode of operations that served our community well for over a decade."
 Another contributing factor for the center's closure was low enrollment numbers for summer programming, which included adult sea kayaking, adventure camps and youth sailing. According to Mingo, there were 10 total offerings scheduled, four of which had a single registrant. As a result, all current summer programming has been cancelled. It isn't immediately clear how future programming will be handled through the OAC or if the focus will be solely on providing access to equipment.
 The OAC offers an extensive array of equipment for rent, including mountain bikes, camping gear, ice skates, skis, flying discs and more. On campus, students and the public can utilize a climbing rock wall in the gymnasium, a disc golf course and a newly installed 300' zipline. A ropes course enables team building for area groups and organizations.
 "The center's primary function is to provide students with hands on experiential learning that supports their education and degree attainment," Mingo outlines in the release. "The college is proud to continue offering the center's outdoor adventure resources to the public to promote community health within our region, and the center remains a strong partner of our local youth, schools and partner organizations."
 The college's closely associated Outdoor Leadership Adventure Recreation & Tourism program -- which offers an associate's degree in one of the fastest growing industries in the world -- will not be impacted by the change in staffing at the OAC, according to Mingo.
 To make an appointment to utilize the OAC's equipment, contact Nichole Cote at ncote@wccc.me.edu or call 207-454 1060.