Despite growing concerns about Baker University’s budget, over the summer the fitness center began its first steps towards a complete renovation.

Associate Athletic Director Theresa Yetmar said the plan to restore the fitness center is a project that has three phases. These stages are to improve the look and feel of the gym, make the center healthier and safer to use, and make the facility the best it can be.

Yetmar said the first phase, which was to re-paint the room and include a Baker logo on one of the walls, was partially completed this summer. The second stage is to replace the carpet with a floor that is more like one that would be found in a professional gym Yetmar said.

The last and most exciting part to this plan is the installation of new cardio equipment, Yetmar said.

“We are hoping to get 9 new pieces,” Yetmar said.

Yetmar said the new equipment would be purchased through a leasing program for 3 to 5 years at which time the university will reevaluate their satisfaction with the machines. Yetmar said the cost for the pieces is any where from $11,000 to $13,000.

“We just started this phasing project over the summer, so we are in out infant stages as far as the fundraising goes,” Yetmar said.

Yetmar said the complaints about the old equipment were geared towards broken down machines which are common when considering the age of the pieces in the fitness center.

The renovation has also effected the hours of the fitness center. The room will be open to the student body Monday through Thursday 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Junior Kaylee Murdock said she uses the fitness center 3 times a week.

Murdock said she thinks athlete hours are totally fair because they need to keep up with their off-season training.

She said she would like to see some more treadmills, elliptical trainers and exercise bikes.

"(The machines) are so-so," Murdock said. "I think people would be more up for using the center if they had more up to date equipment."<br/>