All the different aspects of a campus recreation center play an essential role in enhancing the student experience. But it’s the locker room areas and the innovative locker room amenities that help provide visitors crucial solace and privacy during their visit.
Those factors are why Columbia Basin College (CBC) in Paco, Washington, made a conscious effort to construct within its new Student Recreation Center (SRC) efficient and modern locker and shower spaces.
Cheryl Holden, the vice president for Student Services at CBC, said before the new center opened in May 2023, students and different groups on campus were surveyed on what they valued most in a new facility.
“The shower facilities were really important to students along with having them be more gender-neutral and accepting of everyone,” said Holden. “That’s what we really focused on for our students. We wanted to provide that kind of access so everyone would feel comfortable coming into our facility.”
Highlights of the space include 13 individual changing rooms which all have an overhead light, bench and hanging hook inside. Two of these rooms are ADA accessible. There are also eight individual restrooms with a toilet, hand sink, hand soap, paper towel dispensers and trash bins. All restrooms are ADA accessible. Six include a shower with a shower curtain, bench-fixed shower heads, adjustable heads and hooks to hang towels.
EXTRA CREDIT: Meeting the demand of gender inclusivity in locker rooms.
“The individual bathrooms and changing rooms have allowed users the comfort and privacy of having their own space to shower, change or use the restroom versus the typical open locker room and gender-specific style,” said Holden. “It also helps us avoid potentially uncomfortable scenarios with how someone might identify.”
Inclusivity is also a point of emphasis at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) where the rec center has three locker rooms — one for men, one for women and one for all genders featuring a universal design.
“Although many recreation centers across the country have gender-inclusive locker rooms, they don’t always have the same amenities as our gendered locker rooms,” said Megan Choiniere, the assistant director of Guest Services and Facilities at UNO. “I truly believe universal locker rooms are the way of the future. A student shouldn’t have to go into a gendered space just to access an activity such as a pool or a hot tub, or to be able to use a sauna.”
The universal design includes two single rooms containing a restroom, shower and a changing space behind a lockable door. Outside these doors are rows of lockers available to rent, a Suitmate swimsuit dryer and an entrance to the pool deck.
EXTRA CREDIT: How locker rooms can make a big impression on students.
“These spaces are a necessity to make our facilities safe for the LGBTQ+ community on campus, for students who have disabilities, those with body image issues and many other populations,” said Choiniere. “Universal locker rooms could help break down barriers to fitness and wellness on our campuses. As collegiate recreation professionals, we should always be looking at how our facilities and offerings are creating barriers for our potential users and continue to work on improving them for the future during our capital project planning.”
One of the most popular features is all three of UNO’s locker rooms have a separate changing and shower space for faculty and staff. “We have found having separate locker rooms for faculty and staff has made those members more comfortable and willing to come into spaces by not having to worry about running into their students when they are changing or in a towel,” said Choiniere. “It’s something that’s really been well received. This has been a big selling point when selling faculty/staff memberships.”
The men’s and women’s locker rooms have similar premium amenities like a steam room and sauna. Choiniere said the separate spaces allowed the saunas and steam rooms to be a place where students could stretch before a workout or have social time with their friends.
This offering is seeing similar success at the University of Alabama (UA). Here, Darrell Hargreaves, the associate director of Facility Operations and Special Events, said a dedicated user group uses their dry/steam saunas.
EXTRA CREDIT: How a locker room renovation improved the campus experience.
“I think our campus has really used our dry/steam saunas. I also think our standing hair/body dryers have been utilized a lot,” said Hargreaves. “Providing long lockers, with potential upgrades through technology, and more personal individual spaces would be ideal in shaping our locker room experience to have a country club feel.”
Currently, UA University Recreation has 144 long lockers for men and 127 for women available only for rent. Both locker rooms also have over 250 short lockers. Hargreaves said there are two private/accessible changing areas with 39 long lockers for rent as well.
This variety of storage is another valued amenity at CBC’s SRC. Holden said the former rec center had very limited locker space for students to store their backpacks and belongings. Now, there are a total of 303 day-use lockers available in four different sizes.
“We made sure we had plenty of lockers in this new facility,” said Holden. “I think that’s another improvement because in the old locker room you could barely get your shoes in the lockers. Now, we have a place for students to feel like their stuff is safe and that we value their belongings.”
Further enhancing the experience are sweat towels located throughout the facility. Shower towels are also available at the front desk for all users, which Holden said were a big hit on campus.
EXTRA CREDIT: Various features in locker rooms allow for inclusivity at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.
Lastly, another priority for CBC’s new rec center is guaranteeing shampoo, conditioner and body wash are available in the showers. It’s the little things like those conveniences that can make a huge difference.
“We don’t know what the amenities are like for our students and users outside of the SRC,” said Holden. “We hope everyone has access to hot water, a towel to dry off with and a place to get ready for whatever they may be doing that day. But the truth is we don’t know. We want to provide as much or as many amenities and features as possible, no matter how big or small they may seem, to make this a place that feels welcoming for everyone. We want them to feel welcome and valued. I think providing these types of adequate locker rooms, changing rooms and storage facilities does that.”
