As Winthrop students anxiously await their return to campus for the Fall 2020 semester, many wonder if they will be able to safely continue their quarantine exercise routines upon arrival. Since the Big South has postponed fall sports until the spring, students may hope that although they cannot enjoy watching sporting events, they can still enjoy a workout themselves.
The West Center, home to an 11,000 square foot weight room & cardio space, a four court gymnasium, a one-eighth mile indoor track, a 25-yard pool and many other amenities, is typically bustling with exercise-attired students and staff during the school year. Due to the current health concerns regarding COVID-19, numerous precautions and changes regarding the accessibility of the West Center should be expected this fall.
Vice President for Student Affairs Shelia Higgs Burkhalter participated in a virtual town hall meeting on July 30, briefing families on various changes around campus. She said the West Center is set to reopen on Sept. 8.
“One-way entrances and exits will be established,” Burkhalter said. “Weight rooms and cardio machines will be available for your use, but the track will be closed.”
Individual equipment will be spread farther apart to allow for social distancing, according to Burkhalter. She also said classrooms and furniture throughout the building will be spaced accordingly to assist with social distancing.
Burkhalter said that the West Center employees, the majority of which are students, will be trained on traditional West Center tasks, as well as new procedures to help keep gym-goers safe.
“Towel service, day-use lockers, sports equipment checkout and the use of the climbing wall will be suspended,” Burkhalter said. She also noted that there will be changes to intramurals and sports clubs.
Burkhalter said that until Sept. 8 all group fitness and intramural activities will be online. “We’ve been doing it all summer and we did it late in the spring, so we know that this will work,” she said.
Associate Director of West Center Operations Jason Thornton told The Johnsonian on Aug. 21 that he did not have any “concrete answers” about the West Center’s reopening plan since there were still conversations being had with university partners on safety measures.
“Given that the situation with COVID continues to be very fluid, we continue to adjust our plans,” Thornton said.
Thornton recommended that students watch the virtual “student engagement” town hall meeting from Tuesday, Aug. 25 that can be found at https://www.winthrop.edu/returntolearn/ for the latest information regarding the West Center’s reopening.
The Johnsonian will continue to provide the community with updated information about the West Center as it becomes available.
Photo courtesy Winthrop University
