CREDIT: KERRA SEAY
The construction of the J building expansion is ongoing, but the final project will boast great features including workout rooms, a climbing wall and a juice bar.

It’s impossible to ignore the construction project currently occurring in J building. Once completed, the $24 million expansion of the fitness centre will be a considerable improvement on the old gym, bringing in new training facilities and more to Fanshawe.

J building was originally 98,443 square feet. About 8,870 square feet of the building was demolished for the expansion, and the new centre will add another 55,000 square feet of fitness space to the building. Another 7,700 square feet of the existing building will be renovated.

Donna McInnis, manager of project and construction management, said one of the reasons that made the expansion necessary was due to the rapid influx of students.

“As the population grows and service demands increase, there has been no increase in capacity to meet demand,” McInnis said. “In other words, supply has not kept pace with demand or need.”

The original facility was built in 1993, and even with the addition of Gym 3 in 2003, it was still not enough to meet the demand coming from students. McInnis said there has been a 65 per cent increase in the student population from when it was built to today.

McInnis said Fanshawe will continue to expand in the future. The college has a goal to increase enrollment by 15 per cent over the next five years, making the expansion even more necessary.

The fitness centre is a crucial part of programs in the School of Public Safety and the Faculty of Health Sciences, which includes Police Foundations, the Paramedic program and more. Fitness tests are a course requirement in some programs, and with the continued expansion of these programs, the fitness centre was even more in demand.

The building will be the new home of the Fowler Kennedy Clinic and Fanshawe’s Pharmacy, a Wellness Centre which will boast multipurpose spaces, medical and physiotherapy care, exam rooms and offices, and will also have change rooms, the Athletics Control Desk, lounge spaces for students and a juice bar.

In addition, there will also be a three story climbing wall, aerobic studios, a weight training area and a cardio room.

McInnis said the new Wellness and Fitness Centre will provide space to meet all the needs of Fanshawe students and staff.

“There will be a new vibrant and exciting space for students and staff [to] use. The Wellness and Fitness Centre will engage the students and staff in movement, positive mental health and general well-being.”

Construction should be completed about a year from now in the late spring of 2017.