Yorktown Fitness Center transforms into a 24/7 facility
Photo Credit: (MGN Online)
September 23, 2019
ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY – New plans for the Yorktown Fitness Center are currently in the works, as the facility is transitioning into a 24/7 facility. Previously, students had limited hours to access the fitness center, but the new initiative aims to make the space more available to Yorktown residents.
In addition to the extended hours, the fitness center will be changing their management. While the Campus Recreation department currently manages this facility, Residence Life will be taking up the duty in the future. Armand Buzzelli, director of Campus Recreation, reminds students to take any troubleshooting issues for the fitness center to Residence Life. Buzzelli also discusses the motives behind the transition.
“Two major factors fueled this decision — student feedback and facility usage,” said Buzzelli. “Students have always asked for more availability in the space because the usage of the facility is restricted to Yorktown residents; and because the users live in the building, they would like to use it whenever they feel like it.”
According to Buzzelli, since the opening of the Student Recreation and Fitness Center in 2017, usage of the Yorktown Fitness Center has declined. Last year, there were between 50 and 60 users per day at Yorktown, a significant difference compared to the 500 to 600 students at the Student Recreation Center.
“Residence hall fitness centers across the country operate this way and we felt it would be great to offer this type of usage to Yorktown residents,” explained Buzzelli.
Along with 24/7 access, the fitness center will be removing free weights in light of any safety risks. Everything else regarding the space will stay the same.
“The new operational model will give residents of Yorktown 24/7 access to an excellent facility,” said Buzzelli.
Buzzelli shares his thoughts on the fitness center as he has a personal connection to the place. He hopes that the 24/7 facility will better accommodate Yorktown residents.
“I helped design the space shortly after we purchased the Holiday Inn,” explained Buzzelli. “I visit colleagues around the region regularly, and the Yorktown Fitness Center is among the nicest and best-equipped residence hall fitness facilities I’ve seen.”
The Yorktown gym is set to reopen to students on Oct. 11 with the new changes.
“It should remain a great option for students who want to travel a short distance from their room to squeeze in a workout any time of the day or night,” said Buzzelli.
Anonymous • Oct 21, 2019 at 2:09 pm
I think the majority of us would much rather of had the gym open until midnight (like previously) instead of taking away more than half of the gym. This is nowhere near one of the nicest facilities. There are probably 8 machines and the rest is purely cardio equipment. There are not even attachments to the cable machines, let alone dumbbells or squat racks. There are PLENTY of other options that could have been done, instead of taking away the majority of useful equipment. The gym also opened up later than October 11th as well. The only thing it is good for now is cardio. Extremely angered and disappointed at the way Yorktown is being completely overlooked this year. The tone of this article makes it seem like this change has benefited students, when I have not talked to a single one who is happy about it.
Joseph Pardini • Oct 17, 2019 at 10:30 pm
I am unbelievably disappointed with this change. Words seriously can not do justice my frustration. “One of the nicest and best equipped.” Seriously? You removed every single dumbbell. Every attachment to the pulley machine. The bench rack, so there is not even a quality pull-up bar anymore. The smith machine, which is designed to be a safe alternative for benching without a spotter. The first day, the lights were off and the switch to turn them on was in a locked room. You think the gym wasn’t being used before? Nobody will use it now. It’s a big empty space. Your reason for removing the weights was for liability reasons? How about make it so you sign a safety waiver online, and only then will your swipe let you enter the room. Put a camera on the entrance so if someone enters without swiping, they are the responsibility of whoever swiped. Did nobody put any thought into this? What a horrible article, I really felt physical pain reading this. Oh, and may I ask why it took multiple months to remove the free weights? I went consistently last year. I know what was in there. 4 high schoolers could have removed the equipment in a single day. Also, I want the fraction of the year the facility was not open to be calculated and removed from the facility charges on my tuition.