Western Kentucky University’s Outdoor Recreation Adventure Center (ORAC) has closed until further notice due to the effects of COVID-19, student engagement and budget cuts.

ORAC provided opportunities for students to participate in outdoor activities like camping, canoeing and more. They also offered outdoor gear for checkout at the Preston Center.

Justin Cato, the director of campus recreation & wellness, stated that the issues with ORAC began when the program returned from the COVID-19 pandemic. New students weren’t aware of the program, he said, creating a lack of participation in ORAC events.

“We had to cancel more trips than we actually ran,” Cato said.” There wasn’t enough participation. So looking at that, and then looking at our gear center, we averaged one to two pieces of gear checkout per week, which is just not a lot.”

Budget reallocations have caused financial struggles in some university departments, including the Campus Recreation & Wellness department. In the past, ORAC’s gear checkout helped pay for excess expenses within the program.

With decreased funding from the university and lowered revenue from the gear checkout, the cost to sustain the program did not match its engagement, Cato said.

While the program has been closed indefinitely, the Campus Recreation & Wellness department hopes to see the program return in the future.

“I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to bring it back in a few years,” Cato said. “Once we get to that point, we’re gonna make sure that we get it right as best we can. Getting the word out and offering what the students want from the program to make it successful and hopefully sustainable moving forward.”

News Reporter Larkin Ivory can be reached at [email protected].