To the Editor:
Upon reading Charles Gardner's Feb. 14 article in The Dartmouth, entitled "Inferior athletic facilities frustrate Dartmouth students," I was not surprised that "prospects for any expansion," or any improvement for that matter, of the Kresge Fitness Center seem dim. It is understandable that neither funding nor expansion space are available. However, I was surprised with the fact that no efforts are being made to examine other ways, besides expansion, to resolve some of the overcrowding problems of the present. For example, the Student Assembly has proposed moving the main desk outside the fitness room, in front of the glass windows, allowing more space for additional equipment. Why hasn't this been considered seriously? Or, why does the College offer membership to the Kresge Fitness Center to town residents or Hanover High students?
It's a little frustrating, arriving on a packed afternoon in Kresge to see all the treadmills occupied by senior citizens bussed over for physical therapy or by Hanover High students occupying a piece of weight equipment. Granted, I don't mean to be selfish or insensitive to the needs of the community, and certainly if the facilities permitted more room I would not have a problem with these people there. But under the circumstances, shouldn't College resources first be appropriated to the students and faculty/staff? Why should the burden of looking for a place to work out be placed on Dartmouth students, who are paying part of the tuition for use of the facility and who don't have other available means to access a fitness gym? Perhaps membership should be limited in the near future. Though much of the equipment at Kresge is very nice, it is a shame that more people cannot take advantage of it. Obviously, there is no "magical" answer, but some creative initiative needs to be taken in order to attempt improvement. Until then, as the article says, Dartmouth students will remain "largely dissatisfied with many of the current facilities."
