Fitness Center Takes Shape

GAMBIER, Ohio (July 12, 2004) As cranes lift trusses into place, the future home of athletics at Kenyon is assuming its distinctive, and dramatic, shape. Construction is on schedule for the Center for Fitness, Recreation, and Athletics (FRA), which will provide not only superb facilities but also a stunning new architectural landmark on campus.

Scheduled to open in the fall of 2005, FRA will serve the needs of everyone from the casual jogger and the weekend hoopster to the fitness fanatic and the varsity athlete. With its soaring glass walls and light-filled spaces, the new 263,000-square-foot building will also be an architectural focal point for the lower campus. In addition to a full array of resources for sports and recreation, the center will have a café, study lounge, and auditorium, offering another comfortable place for students to gather.

Among the features of the new building are:

* A 200-meter, competition-quality indoor track with six lanes and eight sprint lanes.

* An arena for basketball and volleyball, with a seating capacity of 1,500.

* A recreational gymnasium available day and night for activities ranging from basketball to indoor soccer.

* A swimming pool for both recreational and team use. Measuring fifty meters by twenty-five yards, the pool will accommodate twenty lanes or nine long-course lanes, along with one- and three-meter diving boards.

* A spacious weight and fitness area capable of holding more than two hundred pieces of exercise equipment.

* Four indoor tennis courts, eight squash courts, and four racquetball courts.

* Two multipurpose rooms for aerobics, dance, yoga, and other uses.

The building has been planned with technology in mind. It will incorporate a broadcast video lab, and the auditorium will be perfect for film screenings and multimedia presentations. Students will have wireless computer access throughout the center.

The café and study lounge will be located in a large, open lobby, affording views of activity everywhere. The extensive use of glass adds to the sense of openness. The aim is to foster the vibrant sense of community for which Kenyon is famous.