By Emily Senger
Students who have endured workouts in the hot, cramped racquetball courts will soon have room to run.
More than three weeks behind schedule, the final phases of the Fitness and Lifestyle Centre renovations are underway and despite minor setbacks, opening is scheduled for the week of Aug. 22. The renovations are the result of the Students’ Union 2005 General Election in which students voted 61 per cent in favour of increasing Campus Recreation fees.
“I can’t wait,” said Director of Campus Recreation Mark Eckert. “The construction has taken three weeks longer than predicted. Because of a trucking strike, we couldn’t get the floor.”
The floor has arrived and will be installed this weekend along with the ceiling tiles and other finishing details.
‘Eckert noted one of the major changes students will notice, besides nearly double the amount of space, is a system to allow students to swipe their own ID cards. The new system will replace the current wristband system.
“The students are going to love the fact that there will be more space,” commented Eckert. “I want the next two weeks to go by very quick.”