State-of-the-art equipment has cycled into the Recreation Center this semester. 

Troy Vaughn, director of the Recreation Center, said $170,000 was spent on 25 new cycling bikes, 10 treadmills and eight ellipticals.

Vaughn said the facility sets aside money every year to make purchases for new equipment, with funds coming from the Recreation Center’s planned budget.

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Vaughn said the facility’s budget totals $5 million, 75 percent of which comes from student fees included in tuition and 25 percent from membership and program fees.

He said the Recreation Center sets goals to rotate equipment every three years, but this year’s purchase was more substantial than usual.

The Recreation Center has made cutbacks by switching to LED lights and only using air conditioning during operational hours.

While the Recreation Center has not terminated any graduate assistants, it has cut back on the number of graduate assistantships available. In 2008 the Recreation Center had 22 graduate assistantships, and it now has eight.

“As with everybody at the university, we’re having to watch very closely what we’re doing,” Vaughn said. “They’re tough times right now.”

When ordering equipment such as cycling bikes, Vaughn said he looks not only at low-maintenance but also disability-friendly machines.

Replacing older pieces modeled in 1999, the new equipment features new Star Trac pin weights. Vaughn said the purchase was necessary as the old line no longer distributes replacement parts.

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Each of the nine pieces of equipment in the Star Trac line cost $3,000.

Corné Prozesky, associate director of facilities at the Recreation Center, said much of the new equipment can be synchronized with downloadable phone apps such as Keiser and Life Fitness. The apps can keep track of the user’s daily workout routine, calories burned and personal progress.

New treadmills also include a touchscreen interface.

Kayla Klugow, a senior from Amery, Wisconsin studying English, said she enjoys exercising on treadmills and said the new treadmills are more user-friendly than past models.

Vaughn said some of the old treadmills had up to 50,000 miles of use, but many of the old cycling bikes are still available for use in the Recreation Center.

Other projects include the $10,000 installation of a fan in the cycling studio as well as the planned enlargement of the studio entrances, which used to be racquetball courts. The international flags in the facility were also retagged.

The Recreation Center furnished new court-dividing curtains in the east gym, totaling $120,000.

“In the afternoon and the evenings, the Rec Center is packed,” Vaughn said. “We know that, and we try to offer as diverse types of programs … and equipment as we can.” 

Cory Ray can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @coryray_DE