Kresge Fitness Center is providing its devotees with something to celebrate instead of bemoan: Two new elliptical trainers, one treadmill and a complete set of dumbbells are now gracing the perennially- crowded gym.
The new cardio machines, especially, are intended to alleviate the constant crunch in Kresge, where elliptical machines are usually unavailable without a reservation well in advance.
Before the recent installations, the gym had six ellipticals, four treadmill and a rundown set of dumbbells.
Fitness Center manager Sarah Berger said that even a few new machines can accommodate about 75 people more per day, if they are used continuously in half-hour shifts. The gym's desk staff has received many positive comments about the new machines, she said.
"Quite a few people have expressed appreciation for the new dumbbells, which are of a very high quality," said Berger, who has been a major advocate for the expansion of Kresge. "I've heard people say that they like the feel of the new treadmill and I've observed people using the new EFX machines."
Student dissatisfaction with the fitness center has cropped up often in campus debate. The 4,000 square-foot gym is considered far from adequate for the use of both students and community members, a fact that becomes evident during the peak pre-dinner hours.
Insufficient funds have prevented any expansion yet to date, and the new machines are just a temporary fix.
However, as a result of constant complaints, the Board of Trustees decided to allocate funds to the project in a meeting in July. The construction is slated to begin in March of 2005.
Until then, the small improvements in Kresge are predicted to improve student morale, at least temporarily.
Grace Yang '06, who attempts to make it to the gym whenever her schedule allows, said she was very pleased by the new equipment.
"I'm so excited for any type of new equipment in the gym. Everything is pretty worn down from the sand and grit of winter terms, and it's about time someone bought new machinery for Kresge," she said.
