You have finally gained enough energy to get off your futon and go to the Rec Plex to work out. But as you enter the doors and swipe your ID card, your eyes are greeted with the sight of lines of people waiting to use the cardio machines.
This is the scenario many Fairfield students face as they march into the Rec Plex to work off those extra pounds before going away for spring break. But there are also many other problems in the Rec Plex that make students unsatisfied with the facility.
The complaints are: limited space, limited exercise machines, and limited funding for the facility, while varsity athletes get to work out in a state of the art facility.
“The Rec Plex is not big enough,” said Julie McLoughlin ’05. “It doesn’t have fans, TV’s, or towels to wipe off the machines half the time.”
Rec Plex Director Phil Palumbo agreed that the biggest problem is the limited amount of space he has to work with in order to please the students who come in to exercise.
“I think I have met the students needs in the confined space I have, and if I think I can get machines in there I will try to,” said Palumbo.
Palumbo stressed the importance of a survey that students will be able to fill out in the coming weeks. The survey will help him know what students want and what he can do to make the Rec Plex better.
“In last year’s survey, treadmills and back machines were the main things asked for by students,” said Palumbo. “I brought those things in, but I can’t meet everyone’s specific needs.”
Some students will never be satisfied by the facility. Everyone wants something different and Palumbo has the difficult job of trying to please everyone.
“The money given to the Rec Plex was allocated poorly,” said Eric Benja, ’03. “The new equipment could have been much better.”
In the weight room, Palumbo has tried to balance out every machine he has equally with others. He says if he has a certain number of machines that work the chest, then he wants the same number to work the back. But once again, Palumbo points to limited space being his main obstacle for pleasing everyone.
Most students complain of the lines and big crowds of people waiting to use machines.
“It is always crowded and there are not enough elliptical machines,” said Mark Valchuis, ’05.
Palumbo says there has been a 10 to 15 percent increase in attendance of students who use the facility. He advised students who are aggravated with the over crowding to go in the morning, early afternoon and late evening, when there are no crowds.
Time limits on some of the machines exist in order to keep students from occupying a piece of equipment too long. Still, many dissatisfied students have decided to give up on the Rec Plex and go and join another gym.
“I decided to go to an outside gym and pay for a membership because it is always so crowded in there,” said Jen Mortenson ’04.
Other students are satisfied with the option of having the facility, but agree it could be better.
“I like the Rec Plex because it offers students the opportunity to balance their work with exercise,” said Frank Marx ’04. “But I am really disappointed in the quality of the facility in relation to some of our competitors such as Sacred Heart and Loyola. We need to take a page from their books of capital campaigning to determine the best way to finance a state of the art facility.”
Plans for creating a grand boulevard on the road outside the Rec Plex also called for a huge addition to the front of the facility that could be used for more equipment. But in early March, university officials, faced with budget concerns, announced they had indefinitely delayed the entire project.
Students often blame Palumbo for the problems the Rec Plex has. They want him to realize the problems and fix them as soon as possible.
Palumbo says he is more then eager to comply to the students needs, and that is why he stresses the importance of the survey that students will be able to fill out in order to voice their opinions.
“I should be the guy to blame,” said Palumbo. “But what can I do? With the limited space I can’t do everything. It’s frustrating.”
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