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By Jason A. Vrtis
Arizona Daily Wildcat
August 27, 1996
The long lines outside the Student Recreation Center's weight room may soon be remedied, with expansion and renovation of the facilities slated to begin in October.The weight room's north side will be expanded from approximately 7,800 square feet to 11,800 square feet, said Susan Benner-Hughes, assistant director of Campus Recreation for Fitness.
Brian Carswell, interim associate director of Campus Recreation, said he estimated the cost of the construction at $450,000 to $500,000. He said it will be funded by the Rec Center and a long-term maintenance account established for renovations and repairs when the center opened in 1990.
The project is scheduled to be completed by the beginning of the spring semester, Carswell said.
Included in the construction will be the expansion of a Rec Center office area and a small classroom, Benner-Hughes said. She also said more drinking fountains will be added.
The new weight room will set aside space for a personal training program currently being developed, and will have more space for instruction and training, said Britt Bensen, the Rec Center's fitness program coordinator.
New strength equipment will be included in this expansion and mixed into the two weight rooms, Bensen said. She said existing equipment will be upgraded.
New cardiovascular equipment, like stairclimbers and rowing machines, will be added, and the entire weight room will get a new floor, she said.
Bensen said the Rec Center is also trying to increase its networking with other organizations on campus, especially the Employee Wellness Program and the Campus Health Center.
"We clearly don't want to take away from the students, but we are going to try to expand more to meet the needs of the faculty and staff because they are a vital part of this university," she said.
Along with the goal of eliminating waiting lines, the Rec Center is also trying to improve the air quality in the weight room with increased air circulation, Bensen said.
Bill Steelman, a finance senior who uses the recreation center about five times a week, said the expansion would be a good thing for the Rec Center's participants because it would help eliminate the long lines.
"Right now, you have to come early or late at night because anytime else is just not worth it," Steelman said.
Jason Tripp, political science senior, said he would also like to see the lines eliminated, but he hopes the renovation does not make the existing weight room inaccessible during construction.
Carswell said he expects the weight room will be entirely closed at some point during construction, but he is hoping to coordinate an alternative while the Rec Center is closed down. He estimated that 80 percent of the construction will be done without any impact on the weight room.
"It is impossible at this time to tell how many hours we will be closed, but we will try to stay open as much as possible during the renovation," Benner-Hughes said.
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