By Jay D. Prince, Editor in Chief
Every now and then you walk into a place and just go “whoa, this is cool!” Honestly, the McArthur Squash Center at Boar’s Head goes way beyond that. Generally, squash facilities—other than those on college campuses which oftentimes have been renovated from old hardball court venues—line courts up along walls; sometimes across from each other. In other words, you will find four or more courts all lined up along one wall. At the McArthur Center, a lot of thought went into the design before the first wheelbarrow of concrete was poured.
Not only was the venue divided into three “pods” with four courts near the entrance, the all-glass showcourt in the middle and another set of four courts (plus two doubles courts) positioned at the end of the building (doesn’t do it justice to say “in the back”),but the use of mezzanines and varying floor levels is wonderful. Natural light from high windows could have been a problem for the center court, but a massive black curtain can be drawn around three sides of the court too.
To add polish, the columns are wrapped in wood giving the place a warmth that just doesn’t exist in new places. That is usually reserved for the turn of the century (as in early 1900s) clubs.
Nine singles courts plus the two for dubs. A new gold standard for squash has been set. Jaffray Woodriff, the benefactor, should be consulted before any new facility is built. The McArthur is a mind-blowing place that just works!
