Renovations improve user experience at the Student Rec Center

Students, faculty, and staff back for the fall semester have been enjoying numerous upgrades made to the Student Recreation Center (SRC) on the Washington State University Pullman campus. The SRC experienced a flurry of construction activity during the summer as it underwent several big renovations - all aimed at enhancing the user experience of its patrons.

One of the final projects, the resurfacing of the pool deck and a complete makeover of its mechanical room, was recently completed and the pool and spa are back in service.

The SRC has been one of the busiest buildings on campus since it opened in 2001. It will welcome its 12^th millionth patron this fall.

"The SRC is 23 years old now, and even though we have done a good job of maintaining it over the years, it was time to make upgrades in some areas," said Nick Prante, associate director of University Recreation. "I'm excited we were able to make these upgrades, and I think the end result is grabbing people's attention."

The renovations impacted a lot of key areas within the facility, but the projects were staggered throughout the summer to lessen the impact on users. Here is a list of the major upgrades:

• The basketball, volleyball, and sport courts were sanded, repaired, and refinished. As part of the renovations, additional basketball courts were made to accommodate volleyball, pickleball, and badminton to meet growing demand.
• The floors in the locker rooms and restrooms on the first floor received a new multilayered, high-tech acrylic coating. The same treatment was applied to the pool and hot tub deck, as well as the locker room floors and foot wash stations in the Chinook Student Center. The new surface provides a better seal, is easier to maintain, and is less slippery when wet.
• New filters, pumps, and chlorine feeder were installed in the pool mechanical room. Mechanical room failures had become frequent, causing the pool and hot tub to temporarily close for repairs.
• Lots of new equipment was installed including a Synergee Power Rack and Pulley System, treadmills, stair steppers, ellipticals, dumbbells, and exercise bikes.
• The SRC's roof, which had been leaking, was resurfaced.

The total cost of projects was just over $4 million, with most of the money going towards the pool/hot tub mechanical room upgrades and roof resurfacing. Prante said University Recreation staff plan years in advance for these types of expenditures and set aside money over time to make them possible. Most of the SRC's funding comes from student fees - each undergraduate student on the Pullman campus paid $170 this academic year. Other funding comes from non-student memberships and fees for programs.

"The SRC is an integral part of the day for many students, faculty, and staff, and we think it is important to keep the facility looking good," Prante said. "Just knowing how it impacts the fitness and wellbeing of our students, we believe the money spent on these renovations is a good investment."

The floors in the locker rooms and restrooms on the first floor received a new multilayered, high-tech acrylic coating. The same treatment was applied to the pool and hot tub deck, as well as the locker room floors and foot wash stations in the Chinook Student Center. (Photo by Dean Hare, WSU Photo Services)

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