Fitness centre renovations a priority for students surveyed

By Nick Liard

An expanded fitness centre is one of the goals of Loyalist College student government this year.

According to an annual student government survey students wanted a bigger better work out environment.

“We do the survey every year and we get the students feedback and try to implement as much as what they want as we can,” said Chris Barnim, student government president.

“The fitness centre is going to get done this year. We are going to push through the wall into the old Aboriginal centre. That will become the new weight lifting area,” said Barnim.

There will be a few other additions to go along with the weight lifting room.

“It will provide more room and we will have more TV’s, and frosted glass, so people walking by can’t look into the gym,” said Barnim. “That was one of our biggest things on our survey, and we will have a new front desk and everything.”

While the plans are in place the centre won’t be ready for a while.

“For the fitness centre we are still trying to figure out logistics. It won’t be completed till later in the year,” said Barnim.

But it is top of the to do list, said Barnim.

“Exercise has become more popular so why not expand the fitness centre, and I know students will enjoy it and it is all about student satisfaction from last year’s survey,” said Barnim.

Another new addition this year that will be completed before the fitness centre is the two quiet lounges that bookend alumni hall.

“The quiet lounges beside alumni hall, are both being redone. They are getting new furniture and they just received a new paint job,” said Barnim.

These lounges are being put into place to give students study room options.

“I know the students like quiet spaces to work in, so the lounges have a more homier feel to it,” said Barnim.

Last year the student government took a lot from the survey and added more student spaces, improved residence, a transit semester pass, renovated the Shark Tank and expanded peer tutoring.

But the biggest change was the completion of the Link Lounge.

“People love the link lounge, it is another great student work area,” said Barnim. “I was just in there with a bunch of nursing students and they were telling me just how much they love the Link Lounge and how comfortable everything is. It is just a great place for group work.”

“It’s really nice, I like the atmosphere and the design and layout of the place,” said first-year TV New Media student Jonathan McFaul.