Listen Here
Students at the University of Findlay find ways to adjust to new operating hours of their recreation center
By Lydia Schafer, schaferl@findlay.edu
This year at the University of Findlay, the Findlay Recreation Center closes an hour earlier on weekdays than in previous years.
Operating hours this semester changed from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, to closing an hour early at 9 p.m. due to understaffing and lack of gym use.
Bryan Golding, director of recreational services for the University of Findlay, is responsible for overseeing intramural sports, the cardio center, the student recreation center, club sports, and the weight room. He is also responsible for initiating the change in operating hours.
“We look back, we saw a trend the last couple of years of not a lot of usage between the 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. hour,” Golding said. “So, we decided to try it this semester.”
Sydney Spires, an employee for the Findlay Recreation Center rock wall, works about four days a week from 5 p.m. to closing time. Spires says that the busiest time at the rock wall is probably between 6:30-7:30 p.m. While the change in operating hours doesn’t affect the most bustling time at the wall, it reduces the opportunities gym employees are given to work at the Findlay Recreation Center (FRC) by one hour.
“I went from working 15 to 20 hours, to max 14 hours,” Spires said. “Before, it took me two weeks to pay my rent, now it will take me close to four.”
While in recent years the gym has been quiet during the last few hours of operation, the activity has increased in the last hour this year. The time between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. “is actually pretty busy most days now,” according to Spires.
Audrey Hood is a full-time student at the University and uses the FRC.
“I try to go in the evenings every day, and so sometimes that means I’m going around 6 or 7 p.m.,” Hood said. “This year, I have had classes that end at 5:15 p.m. so I’ve been going much later to the gym, so around 8-9 p.m.”
While most classes are held on campus between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., some roll further into the evening including 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. class start times.
“I have classes that end at 5:15 and school comes first,” Hood said. “So, by the time I have time to go to the gym, I don’t have much time.”
“Everything we do is for the students and this situation wasn’t taken lightly,” Golding said.
According to Golding’s research, there will always be students who might want to use the FRC between 9-10 p.m. However, the usage rates have decreased over the past two years.
“We’re just trying to be more efficient, use our resources that were provided by the University in a very effective way,” Golding said. “We’re hoping, that if there’s a demand, we can open up till 10 p.m. but it’s just something we’re trying this semester.”
