EDITORIAL: Don't stop there on rec facilities

Although the Gimbel renovations look great, they won't be sufficient for the long-term. Students are absolutely thrilled about the newly renovated recreation facility -- and they don't seem to have any problem about shelling out $75 for a year's membership. Administrators, however, should not take the widespread approval as a signal to relax on their long-term commitment. The oft-despaired lack of adequate recreation facilities has been far from resolved. The two-floor, 7,500-square-foot fitness center in Gimbel is certainly a welcome addition. But it falls drastically short of the 225,000 square feet of space recommended by the Brailsford & Dunlavey consultants. And the masses at yesterday's opening may be an early indicator of extreme overcrowding. Already officials have scaled back proposals for recreation space announced just last spring. Over the summer, a plan for a full workout room in the rooftop lounge of High Rise South was scrapped in favor of smaller facilities to be built in each of the high rises over a longer period of time. We hope that other long-term plans for recreation facilities, which could include an indoor track, racquetball courts, a sport climbing wall and a new competitive swimming pool, don't meet with a similarly diminished fate. Once again, we ask that the administration commit to maintaining recreation space as a priority. If nothing else, the crowd at Gimbel yesterday demonstrated that it is an ongoing priority among students.