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Recreation
center provides TCU community with healthy living
By
Jennifer Noy
Skiff Staff
Throughout the cardio area, machines hum as TCU students
exercise. Below, the sound of basketballs echo through
the gymnasium. In the basement, there is silence as someone
gets a message.
The Recreation Center is the only place on campus that
offers such a wide variety of activities for students,
said Steve Kintigh, director of campus recreation. From
personal televisions on every cardio machine to a rock-climbing
wall, the facility is focused on student needs.
Less than two years ago, the Recreation Center opened
its doors a newly-renovated facility.
The old building was much smaller and was not used as
much, said Kintigh. An average of 2,000 to 3,000 students
pass through the new center daily.
As the second largest structure on campus, the Recreation
Center commands attention. When planning the new facility,
Kintigh said he wanted “a building that said ‘Wow’
when you walk up to it, ‘Wow’ when you walk
into it, and ‘Wow’ when you turn every corner.”
The end result, despite its $30 million price tag and
changing completion dates, is wonderful, Kintigh said.
The renovation of the Recreation Center was completed
in only 19 months. To a student, that is an eternity,
said Kintigh, but for construction workers it is amazingly
fast.
Kintigh said some of the highlights of the newly facility
include the weight room, which is always busy, and the
outdoor pool. The pool area gives students a safe, enclosed
place to lie out in the sun.
The Recreation Center celebrated its first birthday Jan.
27, 2004. The festivities included free sandwiches from
Panera, cake and prizes. The day-long party celebrated
the facility’s impact on the TCU campus.
In a health conscious society, the Recreation Center meets
the health needs of students and faculty, said Kintigh.
With nutrition consultants and personal trainers, the
center offers more than just a place to work out.
Kintigh said the Recreation Center has become the gathering
place on campus. Students can come in and feel safe. Many
students play pool or video games on Friday and Saturday
nights, Kintigh said. The facility offers students an
alternative to weekend parties, he said.
The Recreation Center is a good outlet to relieve stress
or take a study break, said Trevor Smith, a freshman entrepreneurial
management major. Smith said his favorite part of the
Recreation Center is the indoor track. The carpeted track
is better for your knees and is never crowded, Smith said.
The Recreation Center has become a selling point for TCU.
Ashley Garousi, a sophomore advertising/public relations
major, works in the Center and gives tours. Everyone is
amazed at everything the Recreation Center offers, Garousi
said. They always ask lots of questions and are very impressed,
she said.
Kintigh said the Recreation Center is high on students’
lists for choosing TCU.
Compared to other colleges and universities, TCU’s
state of the art facility is one of the best, Kintigh
said. The TCU Recreation Center is the largest in the
country in terms of square feet per student, he said.
Whether it is the sauna or sand volleyball courts, the
Recreation Center has something everyone can enjoy. |
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File
Photos
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| State-of-the-art
workout equipment (top), a rock climbing wall (center)
and rows of treadmills (above) are only a few of
the amenities the Recreation Center offers students. |
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