CWRU to expand student fitness options

121 Fitness set to take over management of select campus workout facilities

Julia Bianco, Staff Reporter

Starting next fall, students at Case Western Reserve University are going to have many more opportunities to get fit.

CWRU’s new fitness expansion program will include expanded hours for the Veale Center, as well as upgrades on its equipment and the completion of the new Wyant Athletic and Wellness Center on the north side of campus. The university will also develop a closer relationship with 121 Fitness, which is located on Adelbert Road, near the Adelbert Gymnasium.

The new extended hours will begin in the fall of 2014. Both the Veale Center and 121 Fitness will extend their Monday through Friday hours by five hours, now opening at 5:30 a.m. and closing at 1:30 a.m. Weekends are set to have longer hours as well, with both workout centers set to remain open from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. However, times of operation are subject to change according to the level of use.

The Wyant Center will operate on these same new hours when it opens in October of 2014.

There will also be significant upgrades made to the equipment in Veale, particularly in the cardio and weight rooms. In addition, 121 Fitness will take over the management of those rooms, as well as the Donnell Pool and will provide the same services for the Wyant Center when it opens, a job that includes providing the staff, performing maintenance checks and cleaning the equipment. The athletics department will remain in charge of physical education, intramurals, club sports, varsity sports and recreation.

“It’s going to provide a more well-rounded approach to fitness,” said Bryn Mota, director of 121 Fitness. “Because we’ll be running those spaces, the athletics department will have more time to focus on recreation and athletics.”

121 Fitness is also going to be providing university community members with the opportunity to use the gym’s personal trainers at the Veale Center and the Wyant Center for an additional fee. They will also be offering group-training classes in activities such as TRX and kettlebell in Classroom 104, Veale’s multipurpose aerobics room.

121 Fitness will also be offering discounted rates to graduate students, as well as waiving their initiation fee. This new fee of $29 per month will be included in tuition for graduate and professional students starting in the fall of 2014, but there will be an opt-out option on SIS that is available until the end of the drop/add period on Sept. 5.

“I think that on both sides, on our side and on the athletics department’s side, everyone is very excited about this opportunity to expand,” added Mota.