The presidential candidates will give the Gary M. Sumers Recreation Center a workout on Oct. 9. Our turn will be next.
The Sumers Recreation Center will open to the Washington University in St. Louis community on Saturday, Oct. 29. Located within the historic building that hosted the 1904 Olympics, the state-of-the-art facility features weights, cardio equipment, a three-court gym, an elevated track and group exercise studios. Bryan Lenz, director of recreation, said the center is for everyone, regardless of age, ability or fitness level.
“The debut of the Gary M. Sumers Recreation Center marks the start of a new era,” Lenz said. “This center will be an inclusive, vibrant facility that celebrates the best of all of us, and will bring the entire Washington University community together in a shared pursuit — to live healthier lives.”
The center is free to all full-time students. Memberships for staff, faculty, contract employees and students who do not pay the student health and wellness fee are available starting Monday, Sept. 19. Users may pay by year ($200), semester ($100), summer ($50) or month ($25).
Annual memberships also are available for retirees ($200), spouses/partners ($200) and alumni ($400). Day passes are available for $10. Memberships can be purchased in person at the Athletic Complex. For complete pricing information, visit the Sumers membership site.
All memberships include access to 50 BearFit classes. Fall offerings include 13 group cycling classes; 15 yoga classes; and a variety of barre, kickboxing, TRX and other fitness classes.
Other benefits include:
- access to the Millstone Pool in the Athletic Complex;
- access to to the South 40 Fitness Center equipment and classes;
- discounted personal training;
- massage therapy; and
- free use of sports equipment and towels with university ID.
The center also will offer health programming, as well as house the Student Health Services wellness suite and common areas to socialize and study.
Lenz acknowledges that employees accustomed to using the Athletic Complex for free may balk at paying a fee. But, he noted, membership comes with an array of new benefits, from free classes to the 70 new cardio machines. Lenz said Sumers will be charging less than many comparable facilities in St. Louis and at other universities.
“This is a real value-proposition given the hours, the quality of the equipment, the amount of the equipment and all of the free classes,” Lenz said. “The reason why is that we want people to use this space.
“We want to be the hub of campus.”
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