COLUMBUS - As Columbus Community Hospital looks towards the future, a multipurpose field house may be on the horizon.

A possible field house is one of several initiatives the hospital is exploring to provide additional health and wellness opportunities for area residents. CCH President and CEO Mike Hansen says the field house would be built as a compliment to the Columbus Wellness Center.

"We're looking at what's the next best step to continue our wellness initiative and get people to be physically active all year long," Hansen said. "A field house is something that a lot of communities have done, and we've visited several different communities that have built field houses, including Norfolk, Papillion, and Sioux Falls."

The project is very much in its early stages, and Hansen says the next steps are to speak with community leaders about what a field house would look like in Columbus, and the types of things they would want in the facility.

"We'll be engaging key stakeholders in our community, and will talk to them about what this kind of facility would mean to them," Hansen said. "We're also going to be meeting with business leaders, educational leaders, and other key stakeholders in the community to see what other people really find of value in a facility like this."

CCH says a field house would provide exercise and wellness opportunities for all ages, and that they are large buildings which are used for various forms of athletic events and for housing athletic equipment.