The wait for weights is over.
Carleton’s new 11,000 square foot fitness centre opened its doors June 7 as its predecessor—5,700 square feet—closed for renovations.
The new addition, which extends from Alumni Hall, has large windows, bright lighting, and new equipment branded with the Ravens logo.
The centre attracted users within hours of its 6 a.m. opening, Marta Wein, fitness and recreation program administrator, said.
“The first day that we opened we were like, ‘wow, where did these people come from?’” she said. “Compared to a regular Friday there was definitely higher usage.”
The cost of the whole expansion was approximately $3.3 million, $2 million of which paid for the fitness centre. New equipment made up $700,000 of this cost, according to Wein.
The fitness centre was funded by an increase in athletics fees for full-time students by $25 for the full-term, as voted on in a February 2012 referendum. At the time, Brenning estimated the complete cost of the centre at $2 million.
New equipment includes treadmills, elliptical trainers, quiet spin bikes, and Jacobs Ladders. Beginner courses for the new equipment will be offered by the athletics centre, Wein said.
She said the facility has created a better personal training presence by having dedicated space for consultations, as opposed to holding meetings in the hall—sometimes the case with the previous fitness centre.
“It definitely has a more welcoming feel,” Jennifer Brenning, director of athletics, said.
Also new is a second swipe access at the entrance of the new fitness centre. Members will now need to take their membership card with them when they work out, a change from the old fitness centre, where the only swipe required was at the welcome desk.
“We’ve added [the second swipe access] so that only those that are actually paying for the fitness centre will have access,” Brenning said.
The plan is to convert the old gym into a high performance training centre. It will include heavier weights for varsity teams and other members who want to train at a higher level, Brenning said.
The cardio room and dance studio were removed to accommodate the new fitness centre.
The centre has 56 new cardio machines, according to the athletics website. There is no extra charge to use them, eliminating the previous $26.50 optional cardio room fee.
The removal of the dance studio will be offset by new windows and lighting in Norm Fenn gym and by new mirrors, lighting and an improved heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system in the multi-purpose and combatives room.
According to Brenning, the old fitness room had not had work done since 1998 and was well overdue for an upgrade.
“It would be over capacity at 130 people,” she said. Air quality and climate control were an issue with the old fitness centre, making the facility hot and smelly during peak periods.
“The opportunity presented itself and that was one of the biggest things we knew we needed to address,” Wein said. “We knew that [the old gym] wasn’t adequate enough to fill our needs, especially with more students coming on campus, and fitness and health being on the forefront of people’s minds.”
