Pushing forward in its ongoing drive to enhance the athletics competition and training facilities for its students, Central College announced a major upgrade to the Ron Schipper Fitness Center this spring.
A $350,000 investment, fully funded by donors, makes possible a Schipper Fitness Center redesign, new equipment, new lighting and other infrastructure improvements.
“This project will benefit athletes in all of our programs, but we’re also excited because they’ll enhance the Central experience for other students as well, as our facilities are some of the most extensively used on campus,” athletics director Eric Van Kley said.
The upgrade follows the completion of the $18-million Forever Dutch® initiative in 2021 for the expansion and renovation of P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium. Van Kley noted that other athletics facility improvements are on the agenda as well.
“We’re committed to building championship programs and that includes providing championship facilities for our athletes,” Van Kley said. “That requires aggressively addressing facility needs to better serve them in the future. We need to ride the tremendous momentum generated by the Forever Dutch® initiative and continue moving ahead. We’re excited about some additional future projects we’re looking at as well. We’re so grateful to the countless alumni and friends whose generosity makes this possible. We’re extremely fortunate to have their incredible support.”
Alumni and friends can help support the new projects by making a gift at https://central.edu/alumni/ways-to-give/online
All new flooring, as well as new dumbells and racks, squat racks, benches and bars will be installed in the popular Schipper Fitness Center, which houses the athletics department’s 7,200-square foot strength and conditioning facility. The 1/4-inch Mondo floor and carpet will be replaced by a one-inch rubber surface. New lifting platforms will be recessed instead of raised. The facility is one of the most heavily used on campus.
Preliminary work begins in March and should be completed by early summer.