The Review

Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: News

Harrington Gym is set to expand across the beach and will be larger than the Carpenter Sports Building.

After over-indulging with two chicken parmesan sandwiches, cheese fries, two slices of pizza and finally washing it down with a glass or two of Cherry Coke at the nearest dining hall, most students try to avoid the freshman 15 with daily trips to the gym.

Walking by the Harrington Gym windows, students become quickly discouraged as they see others waiting impatiently in line for the treadmills and elliptical machines.

However, students will no longer have to exchange stories of long waits or overly-crowed gyms.

Barry Miller, assistant director of Recreation Services, said the university has approved plans to expand the Harrington and Pencader Gyms.

"Tentatively, Pencader should be completed by the fall of 2008 and Harrington is tentatively scheduled to be done by the fall of 2009," Miller said.

Currently, no plans are in the works to expand the Rodney Gym, he said, because there is no space to expand in the area.

The new Pencader Gym will be located at the end of the footbridge leading to the George Read and Thomas McKean residence halls, while Harrington will be expanded. The estimated cost for the two projects is uncertain, Miller said.

He said the change is needed because the current square footage for the fitness centers is limited in comparison to the number of students at the university. The new Pencader and Harrington Gyms will not only contain more space but will also receive new equipment and more machines.

"When you purchase a new home you can't put your old furniture in the new living room," Miller said. "The same concept applies for fitness centers, as some things need to be new and updated. Our equipment is exchanged and updated every three to five years."

The expansions will give students additional options of where to work out on campus, as students will not have to make the long trek to use the Carpenter Sports Building facilities.

Sophomore Carolyn Hershler, a fitness center employee who uses the Harrington Gym five days per week, said she is excited about the future additions.

"The expansion will help cut down the wait and encourage people to use the gym more often," Hershler said.

She said the Harrington Gym is convenient because students can get a quick workout in between classes and studying. The major inconvenience she notices while working is the long wait for the newer equipment.

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