Full-time Dal students can look forward to a little more money in their pockets when they hit the gym this fall.
Over the course of the last few years, the university has been making strides to address the aging athletic facilities on campus, including planning and designs for a new Fitness Centre. Those new facilities are still several years away, but in the meantime Dalplex is introducing several changes to the services and facilities available to students this fall. Chief among the new changes is the elimination of additional fees collected for unlimited use of cardio equipment or use of rental equipment.
Starting this fall, full-time Dalhousie students will now have free, unlimited access to the equipment in the cardio room during regular Dalplex hours, and they can rent equipment such as locks, squash racquets, basketballs, volleyballs, etc., from the Dalplex Customer Service Centre at no additional charge. (Students must leave their Dal Cards at the desk until equipment is returned).
Kathie Wheadon, director of facilities and business services for Athletics and Recreational Services, is excited about the changes.
“We want Dal students to know that they are our top priority and that we are focused on encouraging and helping them to be active and healthy," she says. "Additional fees for use of cardio equipment have been a bone of contention for a long time and we are very pleased that we have been able to eliminate this fee for them.”
Special pricing options
In that same vein, Dalplex has also implemented special Dal student pricing for its fee-based fitness and recreation programs — upwards of a 50 per cent savings in some cases.
“We are seeing a trend where students are showing more interest in our boot camps, yoga classes, etc. and they are registering for them in greater numbers," says Wheadon. "By lowering the cost of many of these programs and making them a bit more affordable, we are hoping even more students will be in a position to participate."
Societies ratified by the Dalhousie Student Union will also benefit from the changes the department is making to its fees, as they will have the opportunity to apply to book select athletic facilities for official society events and activities at a 75 per cent discount off the regular rental fee.
Other student-driven initiatives being rolled out this fall include the addition of spinning classes to the group fitness schedule, piloting new "Try Climbing" classes that will give students and members the opportunity to try out the Rock Court for free to see if they like it, and updating the athletics website to be mobile phone and tablet compatible.
"We have been actively working towards making changes to better serve our students and we are really pleased with what we’ve been able to implement to date," says Wheadon. "And while we definitely feel we’ve made great progress, we are excited about the future and planning what more can be done."
For more information about Dalplex and Sexton Gym memberships and facilities, visit dalplex.ca or drop by for a visit.