by Caleb Fort
Daily Lobo
Student Brant Kay said the SUB fitness center met his needs perfectly. He had to leave the weight room in Johnson Center because a weightlifting class was about to begin.
"I got booted out of there," he said. "The free weights here were really just what I was looking for."
Kay said he was not aware the gym in the basement of the SUB had replaced an Art Students' Association gallery. He said ASA should get other gallery space.
"If anything has been taken away from the student art community, action should be taken to replace it," he said.
Student Mahad Ahmed said it was a good idea to replace the gallery with the gym.
"This is art," he said. "I can't imagine what this place was before this."
Colin Gabriel, president of ASA, could not be reached for comment.
Brittany Jaeger, president of ASUNM, said student art can still be displayed in the SUB.
"All of the art will be relocated to the third floor of the SUB," she said. "I think it's just kind of rearranging things so students can more effectively use space."
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Erin Quinn, coordinator for recreational services, said the gym was financed using $100,000 from student fees.
Student Jessica Long said she did not like student fees being used to pay for the gym or the gallery.
"I never went to the student gallery, and I probably won't go to the gym," she said.
Student Ryan Jackson said students who use the gym should have to pay for it.
"I'm not a big fan of student fees paying for stuff that I don't want," he said.
Jaeger said students should feel encouraged to use the gym because they paid for it.
"I'm going to use it, and I hope students will, because it's student money," she said.
Matt Lindborg, a gym attendant, said a lot of the machines are versatile because they can be used for different exercises. He said he would like the gym to have some treadmills.
Ahmed agreed.
"Sometimes I just want to run really fast," he said.
Quinn said the gym would be outfitted with treadmills within a few days.
Derrick Baca, an attendant at the gym, said about 40 people had used the fitness center by 3:30 p.m. on Monday. He said he would not have an official number until later in the week.
Quinn said the number of students who used the gym was what she expected on the first day.
There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony for the gym on Aug. 29.
