After eight years of planning, UVU will finally receive its ultimate destination for students to enjoy fitness, fun, and relaxation all in one place. The new Student Life and Wellness Center is scheduled to open in March 2014, and offers unity by bringing students together with wellness as a shared goal.
“This is going to be a place where anybody can come.” Amy Grubbs, Director of UVU Campus Recreation said. “It’s not only for people who are in really good shape and just want to work out. There’s going to be a massage center where anyone can come in for professional massages, a meditation center, a demonstration kitchen where we will give lessons on how to prepare healthy meals and our fitness programs which will be catered to multiple fitness levels ranging from beginner to advanced.”
The Wellness Center will feature a three-story climbing wall with 10,000 holds and certified climbing attendants. The 40-foot wall will also feature regular climbing clinics and climbing gear will be available. The Wellness Center will also offer other classes including Yoga, Zumba, Spin, and a Cardio Cinema.
The new building will have a gaming center and a bowling alley that will increase student interactions and help establish a relaxing environment away from the scantrons and textbooks. Three new basketball courts will be added, as well as an indoor track, new dance rooms, and new workout equipment.
“This new building is going to be awesome,” junior Matt Tomco said. “I’ve been thinking UVU needed an upgrade on their fitness facilities for a while now, so I’ll definitely be there.”
The center isn’t just for students, however. Families are encouraged to come to the Wellness Center as memberships will become available once the building opens. Families and students will also be able to look forward to special events at the Wellness Center such as family night, couples night, cooking for couples, and free cooking demonstrations.
Alongside its amenities, the Wellness Center is expected to open more than 100 student job positions this coming year. The center will be open on weekdays from 6 a.m. to midnight and 8 a.m. to 11 on Saturdays, so there will be openings for a variety of hours that will be flexible with student schedules. Students interested in applying should watch for student work position listings around January.
“I think it’s great that UVU is focusing more on health and wellness,” Christian Baird, a sophomore, said. “It’s definitely important and I think the center will inspire people to think more consciously about their own personal wellness.”
The Student Life and Wellness Center, deemed a place for “body, mind, and spirit,” will have free access for UVU students. The Center will bring students and families together by offering a place to go have fun and focus on their well-being. Anyone interested in finding out more about the Wellness Center can visit www.uvu.edu/slwc.
