Every day for the past year, Weinberg sophomore Alex Schwartz worked out at the Sports Pavilion and Aquatic Center.
And almost every day, she found herself forced to wait for the desired treadmills and elliptical machines. Her frustration nearly drove her to a local private sports club — that is, until SPAC recently added some new machines.
“I had been considering getting a membership at Evanston Athletic Club,” Schwartz said. “Now that SPAC’s added more equipment, I think I’m going to continue going there.”
Blomquist Recreation Center patrons also will be pleased to see some shiny new machines at the smaller South Campus gym.
Northwestern was able to fund the new equipment because the university allocated extra money in its annual budget for cardiovascular and strength training equipment at both on-campus gyms, said Director of Recreational Sports Dan Bulfin.
By allotting the $125,000, the university followed a recommendation last year from the Undergraduate Budget Priorities Committee, a student budget committee.
All told, SPAC added four new treadmills, six elliptical machines, six stairmasters and two stepmills, which look like three-step escalators. Twelve new Nautilus machines are scheduled to arrive Oct. 4.
Four new treadmills and four new elliptical machines were added at Blomquist, doubling the number of cardiovascular machines at the gym.
“The new equipment will go a long way to alleviate the waiting for machines and replace machines as they break down,” Bulfin said. “We were particularly concerned at Blomquist because students were waiting on line for treadmills.”
When the UBPC polled the campus last year, students voted the need for new equipment at SPAC and Blomquist as a top priority, according a UBPC committee member Kevin Rodrigues.
“After we saw that there was a student need, we spoke to the athletic department and were told that the increased in the use of cardiovascular machines had surpassed anyone’s expectations,” said Rodrigues, a Weinberg junior.
Cardiovascular machines are among the most popular exercise equipment, particularly among female students interviewed while at the gym.
Those who have used the new cardiovascular equipment seem excited about the new machines and aren’t stingy with praise.
“I absolutely love, love, love that Blomquist has added new ellipticals,” said Maggie Dumin, a Weinberg junior. “Now when I go there I don’t have to wait for a machine.”
Weinberg senior Nora Charles said she appreciated the medical benefits of the new apparatuses, noting that the new treadmills include heart-rate zone trainers.
The additions have caused some minor inconveniences at Blomquist. The new cardiovascular equipment is situated where the warm-up mats used to be located in the limited gym space.
“There’s not enough room to stretch and do sit-ups now,” Weinberg sophomore Irina Livshitz said.
Bulfin said that gym attendance is usually high at the beginning of each quarter and then decreases by midterms.
He added that on an average day 1,400 to 1,500 people work out at SPAC and 300 to 500 people visit Blomquist.
Reach Diana Scholl at [email protected].
