This fall four new treadmills, four new ellipticals and two new upright bikes were introduced to the Saint Mary's Angela Athletic Center. The College spent more than $30,000 on the new machines and repair of old ones.
Senior Melissa Newland said in the past the machines were difficult to begin using due to the wait for the "good ones." She also said that when she started here, many machines were constantly out of order and out of date.
Waits are no longer a problem, according to sophomore Jessica Billings.
"Last year, there was always a wait, and sometimes for up to a half hour," she said. "This year, there is no wait and it is much easier to work out."
Holy Cross sophomore Kyle Murphy commended the new features the Life Fitness treadmills offer, like the heart rate and calorie monitor, and the incline option.
Junior Abby Hinchey said she likes the new machines, but said it is still "boring to work out there."
"Having music playing or the televisions on would really improve the overall experience of working out at Angela," she said.
Billings agreed, and also lamented the facility's constrained space.
"A different room for the classes would be great," she said. "It's so awkward having everything going on in one area."
Athletic Director Lynn Kachmarik said the College is always looking for ways to improve the facility further, but the facility has now reached its capacity for electricity usage and space.
When Kachmarik started at Saint Mary's in 1998, the exercise equipment in Angela Athletic Facility definitely needed replacing, she said. Before then, Angela had only a few Nautilus machines that were really built for men.
"Due to the limited facilities and poor conditions of that equipment, the women of Saint Mary's joined private health clubs and went to Notre Dame to exercise," said Kachmarik.
She was determined not only to keep Saint Mary's students on campus, but to give them something to be proud of as well.
Kachmarik also said that the administration has been supportive of a "top-of-the-line" facility idea since its conception.
Since the topic was originally raised, the facility has acquired eight treadmills, 30 spin bikes, eight ellipticals, 10 stair masters, six rowing machines, eight upright bikes, free weights, "every weight machine imaginable" and a wall climbing machine.
The Saint Mary's Parent Council has donated over $300,000 to the Angela Athletic Facility in the past six years for new equipment and renovation.
The Center is open to the Saint Mary's, Notre Dame and Holy Cross communities Monday through Thursday 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5p.m. (except football Saturdays) and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
