By Neema Roshania
Correspondent
Searchlights lit up the Livingston Recreation Center on Livingston campus Wednesday night, and students knew - for the first time in months - that their recreation center was back in business.
After shutting its doors over the summertime for renovation, the fitness room in the recreation center re-opened after a long-awaited construction period. Members of the University community were able to go to the recreation center Wednesday to receive free giveaways, play intramural football and basketball, receive free fit check cards and try out the new equipment.
The new fitness room contains four different kids of equipment - including free motion and cardiovascular equipment. The diverse types of equipment allows for students to have many options, said Thomas Scott, fitness coordinator of the Livingston Recreation Center.
Many students were pleased to see the recreation center reopened after delays throughout the school year caused the fitness room to open about three months later than initially expected.
"I like going to the gym," said Deitra Galloway, a Rutgers College first-year student. "And it became annoying to have to go to Busch every single time I wanted to work out when I don't even have class there."
Other students, however, enjoyed the opportunity to explore the other recreational facilities at the University.
"I got to meet a lot of different people from different campuses when I went to the other recreation centers to work out or play basketball," said George Calhoun, a Livingston College senior. "Coming back here though - it's like coming back home. So it feels good."
The additional space in the fitness room allows him to participate in exercises he couldn't participate in before, due to space constraints - such as lunges - Calhoun said.
Although the fitness room has opened, much of the recreation center remains under construction.
Two more offices, the conference room, a second multipurpose room and the main entrance remain to be completed, said Sue Beaudrow, manager of recreational services. Taking into consideration current construction delays - such as the recent inclement weather - the entire project is will be finished around spring break, she said.
Once the construction is completely finished, the recreation center will be able to offer more classes and programs.
For some people - such as Calhoun - the newly renovated recreation center means more than simply another place to work out.
"There's a stigma surrounding Livingston," Calhoun said. "People think it's the worst campus. But I think [the recreation center] will help attract more people here. Building up Livingston is a process, and this is helping it turn into a premiere campus."
Students from other campuses at the University visited the recreation center as well throughout the evening to see the new facility.
"I am overwhelmed to see our students this happy," Scott said. "They came out in below freezing weather to work out. What more can you ask?"
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