By Melissa Goodrich

Massive steel beams tower high above flimsy plywood flooring. A thin layer of sawdust covers everything around. The view of the pond looks cloudy through three-story windows covered with a film of grime. The pounding of a hammer can be heard in the distance.

Equipment and materials are just part of the new Student Recreation and Wellness Center. More than just a place to exercise, the center will help create a sense of community and cohesiveness at Kent State, says Tamara Jarrett, associate director of programming of Recreational Services.

The recreation center is going to change everything, she says. It should be a source of pride, a place to show off.

The center, scheduled to open in February, was designed to incorporate exercise and leisure into one facility. The grand opening for the $25 million Student Recreation and Wellness Center is scheduled for late March. Jarrett, who worked at recreation centers at universities around the nation and participated in the opening of the Ohio University's Ping Center, says she is already anticipating the event.

At the Ohio University opening, there were about 10,000 people, Jarrett says. I think we are going to blow that away.

The rec center, which will be funded through student fees of $77 per semester, membership sales, pro shop and food service, will not be just as an exercise facility, says Kimberly Rufra, tournament sports coordinator for intramurals.

Not only will it be a facility where students can work out but also a place to socialize, she says. It will be a focal point on campus. A place where people can congregate.

In determining the design of the center, Jarrett says centers at other Ohio public schools, such as Ohio, Miami and Toledo universities, were visited.

KSU Student Recreation and Wellness Center

We took the best of both worlds and put them together, Jarrett says.

The design of the center hinges on a delicate balance between open space and activity space. The balance creates an environment pleasant to both exercise and socialize in, one factor that makes the center state-of-the-art and Kent State a leader for other universities in the nation.

Kent State, with the recreation center, is in a position to be the first in the nation in something, Jarrett says. We will be trendsetting.

Part of what makes Kent State a trendsetter includes Recreational Services' approach to making the Student Wellness and Recreation Center truly a place with something for everybody. That department has been working extensively with other departments on campus to make sure program needs for sometimes-ignored populations, such as students with disabilities and international students, are met.

The recreation center will set a trend for accessibility and other issues, says Anne Jannarone, coordinator for Student Disability Services. They are leading the charge.

The rec center will provide both physical activity and social opportunities for students with disabilities on campus, she says. The center will help students feel more included on campus and offer a variety of recreational activities at the same time.

Every aspect of what is going on has included our staff, Jannarone says. This is the first project where we have truly been involved. There was an intentional effort to get students with disabilities involved.

To train staff to program for students with disabilities, a program called SPORT (Special Population on Recreation Training) will be used, says Matt McGregor, associate director of facilities for Recreational Services.

Facilities at the center, such as the climbing wall and aquatic center, can be modified so students with disabilities can participate. The aquatics center is a programming area that is being focused on because many barriers to activity are eliminated when in the water.

Not only are programming aspects being designed to include all visitors, but the center was also designed to encourage participation.

The entrance to the center, the Mall, was designed to do just that. The two-story open area allows for viewing of virtually all activities in the center.

The whole idea of the Mall is a marketing tool, McGregor says. The whole idea is for people to see activity going on.

The area will be filled with tables, benches and even laptop computer hookups. It is an area that anyone Û students, faculty and community members Û can come into.

From the Mall, visitors can view the natatorium, cardio equipment, basketball courts and climbing wall, and they can eat at the Summit Street Cafe.

A stairway leads from the Mall to the cardio exercise area, which will feature a variety of exercise equipment.

The atmosphere is more encouraging to work out, Jarrett says.

The work-out area will house the Cardio Theater, a quiet weight room with television and radio headphone outlets. From the nearby exercise bikes, treadmills and stair climbers, visitors will be able to view the lake through the three-story windows.

With the more conducive exercise space comes more diverse activity offerings at the center, she says. Outdoor activities, such as the Walk at Noon and Rollerblade for Fitness programs offered now at the Gym Annex, will be available at the rec center as well. Kayaks, canoes, mountain bikes and inline skates will also be available for a small fee.

You'll have 10 times what you have here [at the annex], Jarrett says.

The center will allow for more student interests to be met and at the same time allow students to be introduced to sports they may not be familiar with, Jarrett says.

Including activities that meet the interests of the international students was also a need Jarrett made sure to meet. Badminton, cricket and table tennis, activities popular with international students, will give other students a chance to learn a new activity, Jarrett says.

We are hoping to promote diversity, she says.

Part of creating a more diverse environment includes offering programs that will serve Kent State students and the Kent community.

By allowing community members to come in at off-peak times, there still is hourly usage, but students come first, Rufra says.

Off-peak hours include 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and weekends.

The rec center will create a common point for the community and university to come together and will promote cooperation between the two, Jarrett says.

It is a unique opportunity for students and the Kent community to interact in a positive environment ... an opportunity to interact with a diverse community, she says. I long to see the day when a freshman walks up to a 50-year-old racquetball player and asks to take him on.

The rec center will serve as a gathering place for students as well as a valuable recruitment tool for attracting incoming students. The center should not compete with academics, though. It should only accentuate academic programs at the university, Jarrett says.

If that is the one thing that pushes us one bit closer to the top of their list, that's great, she says. In addition to fitness opportunities, the recreation center will treat the whole person Û body, mind and spirit. There, people can receive fitness assessments, exercise prescriptions, massage therapy and personal trainers, Jarrett says.

It's not just aerobics machines, she says. It's the total body.

A wide variety of programs, from self- defense to disease and smoking education, will be available at the center, says Katerina Kiesel, associate director of fitness for Recreational Services. The programs are designed to help people progress both physically and mentally.

We are taking requests from students and community members, Kiesel says. We will be building as we go.

The current wellness center is primarily for faculty and staff, but the wellness center at the rec center will be open to everyone. Programs will be geared at treating people holistically.

Our goal is to help students, faculty and staff become more well-rounded, Kiesel says. Wellness is not just fitness.

The staff at the rec center will take input from students in regard to programs being offered. The staff wants to give students what they want, Jarrett says.

You don't need a petition, she says. You just need a point. Just tell me what you want.

Rufra says that a positive energy about the facility is already present, even though it has not opened yet.

I get goose bumps when I talk about it, she says. I think once people see what its going to entail, whether they want to admit it or not, they are going to take pride.