A few solutions to the Dillon Gym dilemma

And though it may be tempting to dismiss this problem, the bottom line is that overcrowding will not fix itself. The Wythes Plan calls for increasing the size of the student body through 2010, yet the administration has not planned a corresponding expansion of recreational athletic facilities.

Rather than complain about the space crunch in Dillon (which already has been over-reported by this newspaper), I would like to propose two short-term solutions. They won’t eliminate the need for long-term renovations — which the administration has recognized as necessary — but hopefully, they can provide some relief in the near future.

First, the Department of Campus Recreation can find ways to make better use of the exercise studios in Dillon Gym. As I left the gym last week after waiting 20 minutes for a treadmill, I was shocked by the number of vacant rooms. Nobody was in the martial arts studio, and the dance studio was also empty. During the busiest hours in Stephens — when students can hardly find space on the mat, and the only available machines are the two treadmills with OUT OF ORDER signs — these spacious rooms were completely unused.

Assistant Director of Campus Recreation Evan Moorhead said that the martial arts studio, dance studio, group fitness room and multipurpose room cover more than 8,000 square feet. To put that in perspective, both floors of the Stephens Fitness Center cover 7,761 square feet. These rooms, along with some of the outdated squash courts in the basement, could be used to accommodate additional cardio machines. Replacing just one of these four rooms would double the number of bikes, treadmills and ellipticals.

Some may argue that doing so would be unfair to students who take advantage of classes in those rooms. But I would charge those same people to look at the schedule of classes held in those rooms. Effective planning would allow them to be held in three rooms instead of four. If not, there is another alternative: Place additional free weights in these rooms for use when classes are not in session, and place more cardio equipment in the lower level of Stephens. This shift would be particularly helpful because the exercise rooms do not have scheduled sessions during Stephens’ busiest hours, so this change would allow for an increase in total cardio/weight space during the most necessary times.

Secondly, Campus Recreation should stop selling memberships to the general public. The current guidelines allow adults living near the University to buy memberships to Dillon Gym and take advantage of its numerous resources. Though I support this initiative, this practice could be temporarily discontinued until major renovations to Dillon Gym can accommodate increased capacity. It seems fair to allow current members to maintain their memberships, and to allow faculty, staff and their families to continue using Dillon Gym, but new members will only add to the current problem.

The irony about writing this column in April is that the nice weather outdoors is likely to solve the space crunch for the next few months. Runners will return to the towpath, and lines will begin to dwindle inside. Nonetheless, the problem will return to Stephens next winter if the University chooses to ignore student feedback.