New Fitness Center to be Completed in 2015

By the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year, students and faculty will be able to work out in the Academy's new fitness center. Construction began Monday, and is set to continue until the end of this summer. The new fitness center will be located under the Thompson Gym, spanning approximately 9,000 square feet, which is three times the size of the current fitness center, currently known as the “weight room” (3,200 square feet).The new fitness center will serve to follow the Academy’s continuous growth. Since hiring Coach Andrea Sweet as a strength and conditioning coach seven years ago, the physical education program has greatly expanded. Many more students and faculty alike are using the fitness center, but the lack of available space has forced physical education teachers and coaches to have classes or warm-ups in the hallways of the gym or in the lobby of the squash courts.Coach Rob Morris, the Academy’s athletic director, explained, “It’s very crowded and you worry about a weight room when it’s crowded; it’s dangerous, and you can’t keep an eye on everybody. There’s just no room and everyone is spilling out, and it’s just not good to have fitness class on the hard floor [of the gym hallways].”The area being renovated, under the Thompson gym, however, has been used for decades as a visiting team locker room, storage, a dance studio and the cycling room. As a result, that space has much potential for expansion of its usage.

“We realized ‘hey, the space under Thompson Gym is pretty underutilized. How would this look like if we took those walls down, down there and built a fitness center?’”

These two circumstances led Morris and others to think about how they could address the fitness center problem. Morris commented, “We realized ‘hey, the space under Thompson Gym is pretty underutilized. How would this look like if we took those walls down, down there and built a fitness center?’”The space underneath the Thompson gym will be turned into the new fitness center by taking down all the walls, leaving only the pillars standing. This will allow for more space and an expansion of the different workout sections.The new fitness center facility will include the current cardiovascular exercise equipment, brand new stationary weight training machines, strength training power racks, a free weight lifting zone and a specific corner for abdominal workouts and stretching. In addition, the 2015 fitness center will have new energy efficient lighting fixtures, new sustainable flooring materials and 30 yards of artificial turf. The turf is an especially interesting and unique addition, Morris explained, as students will be able to do change of direction exercises, agility exercises, stretching, plyometrics and kettlebells.At the entrance of the new fitness center, the Academy’s rampant lion will be stamped on the floor for all to see. Visitors will also be able to see through the glass panel surrounding the fitness center and see the machines and the new facility. Just outside the new fitness center, cubbies will be placed for students to store their backpacks, jackets and shoes. Because of the immense renovations and expensive additions, a desk will be added to the entrance; there, someone will be working to make sure those using the gym are allowed to be using it, Morris said.People will only be able to enter the new fitness center through this entrance, but can exit or leave through the front or back. Some of the remaining space in the bottom of the Thompson Gym will be used for storage.As of now, students and teachers alike are sacrificing—because of additional renovations to the gym’s windows, the Thomson Gym will be closed after tennis tryouts in the beginning of spring term. In addition, the cycling room has been moved across the hall to the space underneath Ted Jones rooms, and will be finished by and re-opened in the spring. Also, the yoga room was moved to the erg room, and students doing winter crew now erg in the third floor hallway.Alec Howe, a lower in Winter Crew, said that the change in location of the ergs hasn't been detrimental to their workouts. “The only issue is that we are not able to play loud music," Howe said, “which can make a marathon piece far more boring.”Howe also mentioned that their stretching is often interrupted by other teams, but that there were positives to erging on the third floor, as well. “We have more space in the new location, and it's more airy,” said Howe.Stone Sulley, a lower who is also participating in Winter Crew, said that there are advantages and disadvantages to working out on the third floor.“The positive changes are that we can watch basketball, though it can be a bit of a distraction," Sulley said. He also agreed with Howe about the location's disadvantages. “We are repeatedly interrupted by athletes and spectators using the walkway, and we don't have any privacy while erging, because all of the hockey fans can see us from the window.”Other students have said that the temporary changes being made make little to no difference in their workouts.  “I have not noticed [the renovations] at all, actually,” said lower Somtochukwu Ejinkonye, who is participating in Introductory Fitness.Besides the new fitness center, there will also be other renovations going on throughout campus this year, including the complete renovation of the library’s ground floor, currently overseen by the Library Renewal Committee. The renovations began Nov. 17, and will take about eight weeks to complete.The goal of the renovations is to create a more comfortable and accommodating space for members of the Exeter community.“The Library Renewal Committee strongly expressed the sentiment that the Academy library was not a warm and inviting facility,” said Academy librarian Gail Scanlon.“Our building and furnishings are tired and worn; in addition, our program is in need of revitalization.”The renovated library commons will provide a dedicated area for peer tech support for mobile devices, contain a Harkness classroom, house current print newspapers, educational periodicals and recreational magazines and create a space to foster social interaction and unplanned collaborations. In addition, it will include ample power outlets and printing access as well as an area specially designated for food and drink options.There are many exciting renovations planned for different buildings and departments of the school, and a lot for Exonians to look forward to. Students and faculty alike are enthusiastic about these changes. Lower Bella Edo aptly described the community’s excitement.“Yes! It’s going to be dope!”