In a few years, the Queen’s Centre will be home to reputed world-class gym facilities: a 25-metre pool, basketball and volleyball courts with space for 2,000 spectators and 2,392 square-metres of cardio equipment, weights and strength training equipment. Until that time students will have to slog it out underground.
To be fair, the PEC does have all the requisite equipment that a gym should have: weights, treadmills and workout machines.
Kristy Nicholson, ArtSci ‘11, goes to the PEC about twice a week and said it serves its purpose.
“I don’t really know what to compare it to, but it’s pretty good for me. I just use the bike, the elliptical, and weights usually,” she said.
However, not everyone is a fan of the PEC.
Julie Shen, ConEd ’10, like many other Queen’s students, goes to an off-campus gym. She said the PEC’s unpleasant atmosphere was a factor in her choice.
“I go to Goodlife in Kingston. It’s better than going to the PEC. [The PEC is] dirty, cramped and smelly—you can barely breathe down there,” she said.
Queen’s students have long complained about the PEC facilities in comparison to those at other universities. To say nothing of larger American universities, and even some high schools, that boast world-class athletic ‘complexes’, Ontario schools like Western, Laurier and McMaster have thriving exercise communities largely due to their vastly superior facilities.
Brendan Warren, ArtSci ’10, said despite the PEC’s less than inspiring facilities, he still uses the gym regularly.
“I go to the PEC gym about twice a week. The facilities definitely need to improve. They’re way out of date, although they do have everything that I need,” he said. “There’s no doubt that once it’s up and running, the Queen’s Centre will be a huge improvement.
“I don’t know much about the gyms at other universities, but from what I know Queen’s gym doesn’t compare well.” In the Globe and Mail’s University Report Card released last week, Queen’s received the most A+’s from its former students. However, in the category “recreational and athletic programs and services,” Queen’s received a B-, the lowest score of all the medium-sized universities ranked.
On the bright side of that B-, there are many options for the sporty Queen’s student. There are a number of fitness programs available that often go overlooked. A mix of instructional activities such as aerobics, dance, fencing, swimming and pregnancy fitness are offered. There are also several intramural leagues that provide opportunities for competitive play in a wide array of sports.
Wilfrid Laurier University received an A- on the Globe’s survey, tying in first place for recreation and athletics with Brock University, Carleton University, Memorial University, the University of Guelph, the University of Saskatchewan and Université de Sherbrooke.
Laurier Athletics and Recreation Director Peter Baxter attributed the high ranking to a series of renovations over the past decade.
“Ten years ago, Laurier was probably on the bottom of the pile in terms of athletic facilities. They were tired,” he said.
Starting in 1998, the university renovated its 1973-era athletic facilities in several phases.
The projects cost $14.2 million, including academic space for kinesiology students in the fitness centre. Students paid $5.2 million.
Baxter said a major component of the new facilities’ success was student involvement: in addition to making a financial contribution, students made up half the planning committee and many of the new initiatives and renovations came from students.
“They’ve been engaged in the design and planning process along the way,” he said, adding that increased student involvement in athletics and recreation is a testament to the renovations’ success.
“You build it and they will come.”
Athletics and Recreation Associate Director of Facilities Herb Steacy said the PEC’s basement gym was an afterthought when first built.
“Cardio exercise was not a priority,” he said. “It wasn’t a design; it was an afterthought due to market needs.”
Steacy said he’s glad change is on the way.
“I don’t feel happy that we have such a bad facility, but I do feel happy that we’re doing something about it.”
—With files from Angela Hickman and Anna Mehler Paperny
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to eic@queensjournal.ca.