By Amanda Coscarelli and Zachary Chen; May 4, 2021
After more than a yearlong closure, the BRIC plans to reopen for student access this summer.
The opening comes with a plethora of changes to ensure the safety of all students, alongside many upgrades to the resources of the facility. The university’s Safer Return Task Team is currently reviewing the plan.
According to Kaycee Martin, interim associate director of Campus Recreation Programs, campus recreation hopes to reopen the facility June 7.
“The way that we planned our reopening is a tiered approach,” said Martin. Each tier will allow further access to equipment and sections of the facility.
She explained the first tier would provide access primarily to the third-floor fitness area and the pool. During this time, the facility will most likely be open at 10% capacity. To maintain this, the facility will reopen on a reservation basis with students having primary access through reservations made online with a Bronco ID.
For students, the BRIC does not only serve as a gym, but it also provides students with a spot to interact with each other and unwind from the stressful nature of college. However, Martin noted that the primary focus is for students to come at their reservation time, workout and leave when the reservation time ends. Students won’t be able to wait in the common areas and the lounge spaces won’t reopen until a later tier.
As the BRIC plans to reopen with increased sanitation and safety regulations, such as more frequent cleaning and limiting the number of students coming in, ASI is looking to hire more members to join their Campus Recreation team.
Stephanie Rodriguez, a fourth-year biochemistry student, was an employee at the BRIC prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and plans to return when in-person classes resume in fall.
“Working at the BRIC is a fun and social environment,” said Rodriguez. “You get to help people, and it also motivates you to work out because you’re already there.”
Despite the summer 2021 semester remaining fully online, and the majority of students off campus, students are still excited to return to the BRIC when in-person classes resume in fall.
“I definitely look forward to return to the BRIC this upcoming fall,” said Derrick Khousavath, third-year international business and marketing student. “I’m going to be on campus for a couple of classes next semester, so I might as well go to the BRIC and make use of it.”
Khousavath was a regular at the BRIC prior to the pandemic, and he was forced to make adjustments such as making his own home gym.
“When everything was shutting down, I felt the need to actually go out and do what I need to stay in shape,” said Khousavath. “Seeing everything close during the pandemic became a motivating factor for me because you don’t know how good something is until it’s gone.”
Before the facility opens, Campus Recreation will alert students of the specific guidelines and conditions of operation. Martin notes that a video is currently being put together to explain the various changes made throughout the facility.
Feature image courtesy of Amanda Coscarelli, The Poly Post.