UMASS AMHERST OFFICIALLY OPENS NEW RECREATION CENTER, CREATING NEW ERA OF HEALTH AND FITNESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS DEC. 3, 2009. - States News Service

AMHERST, Mass. -- The following information was released by the University of Massachusetts - Amherst:

The University of Massachusetts Amherst officially opened its new, $50 million Recreation Center today, ushering in a new era of health and fitness opportunities for students.

Robert Holub, UMass Amherst chancellor, observed that the building has already become a major center of campus life since students began using it one month ago, with more than 2,500 people often exercising there daily. 'This is a wonderful, bright place to get fit, hang out and have fun,' Holub said. 'Fitness supports the development of a strong and clear mind, and our new Recreation Center represents a great addition to the campus community. It demonstrates our commitment to provide an excellent experience both inside and outside the classroom for our high-caliber students.'

The three-level, 120,000 square-foot building features weight and fitness equipment, a three-court gymnasium, a wellness center, an elevated jogging track, three multi-purpose rooms, locker and shower facilities, space for intramural sports and club offices for skiing, baseball, cycling, crew, fencing, ice hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, rugby and wrestling.

Located on 161 Commonwealth Avenue across from the Mullins Center, the building has the latest in electronic gear, including Wi-Fi throughout. Hydration stations, or automatic bottle fillers, reduce lines at drinking fountains. Exercise areas are fitted with cardio theater equipment, including 25 flat-panel televisions. Electronic message boards show daily activity and exercise class schedules, and a 65-inch Megatron television lets students watch sporting events in large-screen format. When it's time for a break, exercisers can stop by the juice bar and lounge operated by UMass Auxiliary Services.

Students rate the many exercise classes offered as among the best aspects of the Recreation Center. Classes, ranging from low to high intensity, include Abs and Gluts Blast, Cardio Dance, Cycling, Hip-Hop Club Cardio, Pilates, Step Aerobics and Zumba.

The lineup of equipment is extensive and impressive. The weight and training areas have 46 treadmills, 28 elliptical trainers, 26 bikes (upright and recumbent), 15 spin bikes, five rowing machines, four arc-trainers, four wave machines and one summit trainer. There are also 35 selectorized pieces, 70 plate-loaded equipment pieces with 448 new weight plates, various sets of dumbbells, including 178 new dumbbells, a plyometric area with equipment and a stretching area. A boxing area includes two heavy bags, two speed bags, one reflex bag and one kick bag. Each piece of exercise equipment is provided with a sweat-cleaning solution and towel.

The architect, Sasaki Associates Inc. of Watertown designed the building to be energy efficient and meet high sustainability standards. The general contractor is Fontaine Brothers, Inc. of Springfield. A light-colored roof membrane reduces the heat load; sensor-activated sinks, toilets and urinals conserve water, and energy efficient lighting includes daylight/motion/occupancy sensors. The Recreation Center has an energy management system that can program mechanical units during low-occupancy periods and achieve minimum ventilation values. There are solar-shading devices on the exterior of the building to reduce summer solar heat gain and fritted glazing to reduce the southern solar exposure through the glass.

The exercise areas are equipped with CO-2 sensors that feed information electronically to the air-handling system. Two large washers launder textiles in the building, with ozone diffusion to remediate pathogens. There are no CFC-based refrigerants in the heating and ventilation systems, mitigating ozone depletion. The facility is supplied steam generated from the campus' high-efficiency, cogeneration Central Heating Plant.

In addition to Chancellor Holub, other officials attending the ceremony included Jack M. Wilson, UMass president; Henry Thomas III, a UMass trustee; Robert Sheridan, a member of the UMass Building Authority; John McCutcheon, athletic director, and Carol Barr, associate dean for undergraduate programs at the Isenberg School of Management.