An exciting new renovation is set to begin at Creighton University. To help relieve crowding in the Kiewit Fitness Center’s weight room, Recreation and Wellness will be converting the former pool space into a new fitness area.
Jason Thornton, the director of Recreation and Wellness, said the pool in the rec center was closed several years ago due to the department entering a partnership with the downtown YMCA to provide aquatics access for students.
“Students are able to purchase a free pass to use that pool,” said Thornton. “We pay the YMCA for each student pass monthly. Creighton faculty and staff also have access to purchase a pass. However, we charge at cost for those. Creighton decided years ago it was more cost-effective to close the pool on campus and partner with the YMCA for access.”
Since its closure, the rowing team has been temporarily using the empty pool as practice space. However, a renewed focus and benchmarking showed the 6,300-square-foot weight room needed to grow to provide an ideal environment for students.
“The idea to fill in the pool and convert the footprint to fitness space was developed years ago, as the need to expand the current weight room became very clear,” said Thornton. “Support came from university leadership to finally make the project happen. The university recognizes the importance of recreational opportunities for students and is investing in the Recreation and Wellness department to improve facilities and services.”
Project Details
Thornton said the university would like the renovation to be completed by the start of the upcoming fall semester. University project managers are leading the renovation. Since Recreation and Wellness is the beneficiary, the department will be heavily involved in the project on all aspects.
“Recreation and Wellness and Student Life will work on getting equipment bids while they take care of filling in the pool, updating electrical, creating a design scheme, installing flooring and adding internet to the pool space,” said Thornton. “The new space will include all new fitness equipment and allow us to add in a few new lines of equipment.”
Specifically, he said the department is looking to add interactive cardio machines, selectorized equipment, plate-loaded equipment, free weights and a functional training section.
Thornton said an article for the school paper will be printed which will include his contact info so students can submit suggestions for the new space. “We’ll see what fun ideas they send our way,” he said. “We’ll be adding over 11,200 square feet of space, which will nearly triple the amount of fitness space we currently have.”
Potential Benefits and Advice
Not only will the renovation modernize the rec center, but Thornton said it could provide more drive for students to use all the department’s facilities and services.“
Crowded weight rooms can be scary, especially to beginners and women,” said Thornton. “With more space, I hope it gives students courage to come to the Kiewit Fitness Center, use our spaces and start creating healthy habits. We are also retaining our current weight room, which is great. I envision using this space for programming like Women On Weights, beginner weightlifting and fitness orientations.”
For other schools considering a similar development, Thornton recommended to first lean on the expertise of project managers and engineers. “Filling in a pool seems like no small construction feat, so trusting those groups is important,” he said. “I think involving the students is also important. The space is for them, so getting their feedback on what they want in the space is critical. While some requests will not be realistic, I’m sure you’ll get a few that help steer the course of the project.”
Also, Thornton noted decisions on lighting, flooring and technology have years-long impacts, so it’s helpful to have experts in those fields involved from the beginning. “You don’t want to waste money or time on things that will make operating the space difficult,” he said. “I’ve worked in several facilities with weird building quirks that made maintenance challenging or had design features that don’t last the test of time. Including area experts helps avoid these things.”
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