The Spring 2018 semester marks the one year anniversary of the Tri-Rec opening, and the on-campus fitness center has tried to make a positive effect on the residents living within the university community.

The Tri-Rec is open to full-time students that have residency on campus. The fitness center can be found on the second floor of the Tri-Towers Rotunda, and it provides users with more than 75 standard exercise machines and free weights.

“The purpose of this project was to make the main Recreational Center less packed and give students easier access to a fitness facility,” said Ben Cope, the assistant director of fitness and wellness. “We proudly reached a number of roughly 33,000 total swipes after spring 2017.”

Cope states that the number of swipes they lost at the main facility equaled the amount the Tri-Rec facility gained.

Cope believes the Tri-Rec facility fulfilled its purpose in being a successful addition to the Kent campus and recreational services.

“It’s gotten a lot busier since last semester,” said Ashton Hawkins, a sophomore nursing major, who is an employee at Tri-Rec. “Every semester we have more and more students come to the facility. It’s more convenient and less packed than the main Recreation and Wellness Center.”

Hawkins states the facility has great potential and is more than a generic fitness facility.

“The Tri-Rec is much larger than you think, and we provide more than small hotel and apartment fitness rooms,” Hawkins said.

Many residents confirm the Tri-Rec facility has made a positive impact when living on-campus.

Transfer student and junior international relations major, Holly Liebhart, believes the fitness facility is a great addition to her campus living.

“It’s convenient to have a facility downstairs,” said Liebhart, a resident of Tri-Towers. “It’s less packed at the Tri-Rec than at the Recreation and Wellness Center.”

Roommates Noah Capozzi and Jared Gillard agree that the Tri-Rec is a great addition to their campus living, but they believe it could use more space.

“It definitely needs more space for free weights,” said the two roommates. Capozzi states that he would appreciate the facility more if its availability lasted 24 hours.

This feeling is something that is shared among many students, and Cope and his staff are working to address it.  

“Having facilities that mirror the main Rec facility balance out people’s workout times and days well,” he said. 

Shelbie Goulding is the recreation reporter. Contact her at [email protected].