Student Recreation Center opens doors

The beginning of the fall semester at Pittsburg State University is still weeks away, but try telling that to Vince Daino.

Monday marked the official opening of the PSU Student Recreation Center and Kansas National Guard Armory, and Daino, the center’s director, is enjoying the commotion.

“We’ve had a steady stream of people, and as word spreads I anticipate even bigger crowds,” Daino said. “It’s the best and most unique recreation facility I’ve ever seen in this area. There are a lot of opportunities here for the improvement of fitness and health.”

The $16 million, 97,000-square-foot center is a blend of educational and recreational space. Exercise equipment, sports courts, and fitness rooms fill one end of the building, while classrooms, faculty offices, and training areas for the National Guard are stretched out throughout the rest of the space. The facility was funded by the university, the City of Pittsburg, and the State of Kansas. A formal dedication ceremony, featuring a long list of local, regional, and national officials, will be held Sept. 27.

From now until Aug. 18, faculty and staff can use the rec center free by simply swiping their PSU ID card. (Driver’s licenses as proof of ID are not accepted.) After that date, faculty and staff must purchase a membership. Cost is $100 per year, and Daino and his staff are working with Human Resource Services to set up an automatic paycheck deduction plan. Students can use the facility free of charge.

Until the start of the fall semester, hours of operation are 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Friday; 12-6 p.m. Saturday, and 3-8 p.m. Sunday.

For more information on the center’s dress code and available activities, check out http://www.pittstate.edu/recsports/.

---Pitt State---