The Michael J. Gould Recreation Center is a state-of-the-art rec center, especially for a community college. It is constantly busy with Kirkwood Community College students, faculty and other members of the Kirkwood community.
The weight room seems to be new within the past couple years, the basketball courts are nice and shiny, the track is maintained and has a nice surface. The only issue with the facilities, the outdated machines.
One of the main attractions at any rec center is the weight resistance machines. Some gym goers prefer free weights, but for many the resistance machines are easier to use and safer. The machines have fixed movements and you can choose the weight that you’re comfortable with. Because of this, many people incorporate the machines in their workouts.
The issue with the machines is both a performance and cosmetic problem. After using the machines myself I noticed that the resistance they put out was inconsistent.
For example, on the leg curl/extension machine it took me about halfway through the range of motion to really feel the resistance.
Typically, on those machines, resistance is felt throughout the entire range of motion. The cosmetic problems are just simple wear. There are wrinkles in the cushions and even a big gash in the leg press machine’s back. These cosmetic problems really are not all that big of a deal as they don’t affect the usage of the machines, but it would make the facility look much better if they were fixed.
The cost of these machines would be the main con. There are roughly 15 weight resistance machines in the rec center. Now each of these machines cost a different amount when bought brand new but typically they go anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000.
Assuming that Kirkwood doesn’t purchase low-end machines, the cost of each new machine could average out to $3,000. To replace the 15 machines, it would cost about $45,000. That may not fit into the budget for the rec center, but it would be very nice to have new machines and it would be well worth it.
Although the machines cost a pretty penny, the rec is always busy. As the years go on the wear to the machines and the performance issues will only continue to worsen.
It is in the best interest of the students and other gym users to replace these machines sooner rather than later. Budget adjustments may need to be made but the college should seriously consider upgrading.
Categories: Contributed, Opinion
