Students must wait for Wellness Center expansion

The Wellness Center was unveiled to University of South Dakota students in 2011. Despite only being open for three years, USD students have reason to want more done to improve the already top-notch facility.

However, students will just have to relax, according to university officials.

Yes, the Wellness Center has areas where expansion would be of value. More basketball courts would speed up the pick-up and intramural games, and an expansion in the size of the workout area and more equipment could be used.

Still, the current Wellness Center is a huge upgrade from what USD had three years prior.

Before the Wellness Center was constructed, all students — both athletes and non-athletes — had to use the DakotaDome for working out.

Not only has the Wellness Center been an upgrade for students to workout, but according to Vice President of Student Services and Dean of Students Kimberly Grieve, the university will continue to look for more.

“There were two different expansions that would occur after the construction of the Wellness Center,” Grieve said. “The two stages include an aquatic center open to all students and additions of studios and courts.”

Unfortunately for all of us students, many of these expansions will not take place while we are around Vermillion. Although it would be great to have a pool, workout studios and more basketball courts, today it is just not feasible.

“The Wellness Center is a bonded project. We have to make our bond payments and have to have reserves in order for it to be funded. We don’t have that money at the moment to fund these expansions,” Grieve said.

Construction of new buildings and additions to current buildings are expensive. With money already being used to construct the new basketball arena and being used to fund other areas at the University, the plans for renovation at the Wellness Center will have to wait.

While major renovations will not occur for years to come, USD is supplying some minor equipment upgrades for students.

“This past year we added a peg board and a punching bag upstairs for students. We also are going to be adding new cardio equipment this spring semester,” Grieve said.

The Wellness Center is not perfect by any means. As with anything newly built, unexpected complaints were not foreseen at the origin of construction.

We have reason to appreciate what we have. Other schools and students do not have a state-of-the-art facility available to them like USD students have with the Wellness Center.

Just because the university doesn’t have major renovation plans in place today does not mean administrators are not listening to current students complaints or recommendations. More will come with time.

“We would survey all of our students and appreciate their opinions on what we can do to improve their experience here at USD,” Grieve said.

(Photo: Sophomore Parker Van Zee curls a barbell Tuesday afternoon in the Wellness Center. An aquatic area and more courts and studios are planned for a future expansion, however, most current students will no longer be here to see them. Malachi Petersen / The Volante)