Don't keep gym complaints to yourselves

In case you haven't noticed, UConn has a plan in the works for a new recreational center. Every student who has ever waited for a treadmill in the current Student Recreation Facility knows we desperately need a new one. Any type of sports team (intramural, club, etc.) who has to fight for space should also readily agree. However, with all the recent budget cuts and the necessity for increased frugality, some may question the timing of this plan.

UConn spokeswoman Karen Grava told The Daily Campus last Thursday that the project, which is on a very slow schedule, will be funded by student fees and philanthropy. There are also no immediate funds to begin work on the building.

This should hopefully assure students that this project is taking into consideration the budget cuts the university is facing. However, there is much planning to do at these early stages to see what students would expect from a new facility.

Patti Bostic, the executive director of Recreational Services, expressed what she believes to be the shortcomings of the current center, including the long lines, the lack of fields for intramurals and the overall lack of space.

While UConn's gym is in good shape, the last time it was renovated was 10 years ago and that work was done "within the same walls," Bostic said. In addition, the placement of the pool poses a huge issue when it comes to expanding - all the work has been done around the pool. The only way to solve these problems is by adding a new facility.

The new building also hopes to have fields for intramural and club sports to play on without having to share with the Athletics Department. Two students on the Lady Eagles flag football team shared their reasons why they feel that intramural sports need a field.

"The gym is always crowded, and there is hardly any room to practice when we need it," said Ashley Wallace, a 4th-semester pre-teaching major. "It is not like we could make a reservation to use some space because the gym is in such high demand."

Tracey Williams, a 4th-semester chemical engineering major, added that, "it would be nice to have something we can always use and not have to freeze outside when playing in the colder weather."

A survey was sent out by Alexandria Roe via Huskymail on Jan. 23 asking for students to express exactly what they would like to see in this new facility. The deadline for the survey is Feb. 8 and Recreation Services will be using this form to help determine what their biggest priorities should be in a new Student Recreation Facility. If students care enough to complain about the current facility to their friends, they should at least care enough to express their opinions to administrators in a venue that might actually effect some change.

In a time of budget cuts, it feels like students are missing out on the campus life we should have had before the recession. While this is partially true - funding has been cut and tuition will go up - just remember that there are still things to look forward to. The new recreation facility is just one of the renovations UConn is undergoing. The process will undoubtedly be slow, but it will happen. I would be more afraid if UConn was rushing into the project with funds we don't have; thankfully that is not at all the case. UConn has thus far done a great job with the cuts, allowing us to feel as unaffected as possible, and this we should be proud of. We should also be proud that UConn wants our opinions and is actually taking them into consideration in the new facility. We need to take advantage of this and make our needs heard by more than just our roommates.

Go fill out the survey and start looking forward to a new gym.