By APRIL REYNOLDS

akr011@latech.edu

 

After years of small upgrades, the Maxie Lambright Intramural Center could receive $3,000 from the Student Government Association toward plans for a total makeover.

Bobby Dowling, an assistant director of recreation, said the improvements to the Intramural Center include combining the male and female weight rooms and moving them to the Wellness Center, presently housing the cardio equipment.

“We’re just planning on trying to consolidate the weight rooms as to better organize one room,” Dowling said.

He said the new Wellness Center will be set up like a professional-style weight room with bicycles on one side and free weights on the other but without the loss of privacy.

“It’s going to have machines with anything you would want to do from a health and wellness aspect,” Dowling said.

“[The equipment] will still be separate, and the women will still have an area; it just won’t be walled in.”                                                        

Lindsay Mencacci, president of the SGA and a senior biology major, said she is excited about the renovation ideas.

“This is an improvement to the Intramural Center, because it hasn’t been updated since it was built,” she said.

Eric Jackson, a liberal arts senator and senior political science major, wrote the bill for the SGA’s contribution to the changes. Jackson said $5,000 of the $15,000 is needed for the new floor.

“We’re trying to approve $3,000 to help refurbish a new floor for the men’s weight room,” he said.

Mencacci said the donated money would come from the Student Loan Fund, which only allows for $12,000 to be donated in an academic year.

Though the SGA has not yet approved the donation, Mencacci said the SGA and efforts of students helped start the Intramural Center. She said money was donated last year to help fund minor improvements.

“[In the early 1980s], it was started by SGA and a group of students,” Mencacci said. “This past year we allocated about $10,000 [for free weights and for surveillance cameras].”

Dowling said after funds are allocated, the men’s weight room will house aerobic classes and serve as a practice area for the Regal Blues. He also said the women’s weight room will be the site of new spinning classes.

“We want to have a room for the bicycles for the spinning class,” he said. “The women’s weight room was about the best place to do it.” Jackson said he believes the funding will pass at next week’s SGA meeting because of the importance of health.

“It’s an important step towards the future vision of the Intramural Center,’ Jackson said. “I know preventative health is a huge concern for the university and SGA.”