A total of $700,000 was raised for the Carlson Fitness Center of Chaminade University to create an adjoining women’s and men’s locker rooms with showers in Kieffer Hall.
The inclusion of shower and locker rooms in the Carlson Fitness Center is an asset to students who don’t live on campus and students who work out in between classes. A total of 31 lockers, four showers and three bathroom stalls are counted in the women’s side adjacent with the gym.
However, despite the renovations, some students were disappointed with the final product.
Senior Alofamoni Laumoli, who goes to the gym three times a week, expressed her amazement at the renovations to the addition to the gym that caught her eye; she took about 8 minutes admiring the new addition before she started her workout. Laumoli went on about how she was not aware of the funds that were raised for the shower and locker rooms.
“The lockers and showers were a good investment,” said Sociology major Laumoli. “But at the same time, I think they should’ve invested in more running equipment. The gym is mostly weights and not everyone wants to be a bodybuilder. However, our gym seems to be filled with more weight lifting equipment. I mean with the tuition so high, I would expect a fully equipped gym with a lot more space.”
An alumna of Chaminade University, Moresa Langkilde, said that she would have liked the renovations for the gym to have gone to more equipment or created more gym space.
“It would be nice to use some of those funds on new machines or at least extended the gym,” Langkilde said.
The new renovations were opened with a blessing event on Aug. 21 during the orientation for new and transfers students of Fall 2014. It was a simple yet elegant traditional Hawaiian ceremony and Catholic blessings followed by tours of the new facilities. Wellness information, healthy snacks and refreshments were provided with the help of Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA).
“We are extremely grateful to our ‘hui’ of donors who supported this project from the very beginning when we originally began plans for implementing our campus wellness initiative,” said Bro. Bernard J. Ploeger, S.M., Ph.D., Chaminade University President. “Our University community now has a place to keep their belongings and shower after they work out in the fitness center.”
The development of the Carlson Fitness Center was supported by: Ms. Jeanne A. Anderson, Regent; Ms. Jean E. Rolles, Regent and Alumna, MBA ’93; Mr. and Mrs. Willibrord K. Tallett, Regent and Alumnus, BS ’61; and Professor Thomas C. Wesselkamper.