Hutch repair plans to be finalized soon

A schedule will be set next week for the renovation of Hutchinson Gymnasium free-weight room, Associate Director of Recreation Facilities Larry Lauchle said Wednesday. "We are looking at two basic changes," he said. "The biggest is the air flow, that will be taken care of. And the second is the floor." He said the University has already received bids from several contractors to install air-circulation equipment in Hutch's basement. According to Lauchle, although a contractor will be chosen soon, the installment of the air-circulation equipment will still be delayed. "The machinery is big and they have to build the equipment," he said. "We need time to order the equipment and put it down there. The time needed to get it is six to eight weeks." Physical Plant drew up the plans for the air-circulation equipment, and the University contacted an architecture firm to design plans for the floor, Lauchle said. "The [floor] drawings will be back at the end of this week or the beginning of next week," he said. "Then it has to be sent out for bid and then the contract will be awarded to somebody. "I'm not sure how long it is going to take," he added. "But the cement will be completed before the air system because of the time it takes to order and receive it." To fix the gym floor, which "crumbled under the weight of the equipment," the room's present cement floor will be taken out, Lauchle said. Then the soil will be compacted and metal reinforcements will be positioned under a new layer of cement. These renovations are the University's response to complaints filed earlier this year by students. According to recreation department administrators, students began to complain about the gym when they returned in September and found the University's only free-weight equipment had been moved into an adjacent hallway. The equipment was moved when its weight caused the old free-weight room floor to collapse. Students also complained about the stained carpets, protruding pipes and lack of air-circulation in the hallway. College junior and Undergraduate Assembly member Eric Tienou said he was impressed with the way the University is handling the renovations. "I get the feeling from the president and the Recreation Department that they are not going to throw money around," he said. "I think that this is very good." Lauchle said the University plans to repaint the free-weight room and install a rubber floor, but does not plan to purchase new equipment. But at Wednesday's University Council meeting, College junior and UA member Lance Rogers suggested a new way for the University to purchase equipment. When the Ivy Council met in early November, representatives from the eight Ivy League Schools discussed purchasing equipment together, he said. "We all realized we had poorly equipped gyms," Rogers said. "By buying in bulk we could get more at a cheaper price." Rogers added that University administrators "met the idea with enthusiasm" and would consider the University's participation in the bulk purchase of equipment.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.