Fitness Center renovation brings new equipment Published Jan. 30, 2015 By Ryan Stark Nucleus writer KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Visitors to Kirtland's East Fitness Center may have noticed a few trailers, renovations and other activities. The center is getting updates that will not only maximize use of available space, but should make the center's visitors happy, according to Denis Hansard, chief of the sustainment flight for the 377th Force Support Squadron. Renovations include new equipment, flooring, electrical systems and more. The fitness center building dates back to the 1940s, Hansard said. "The renovation gave us the opportunity to look at the layout of the building," he said. "It was obviously built before the days of treadmills. The bottom line is we're trying to maximize this old building." The treadmills are being moved from a windowless room to a room with a view. In moving that equipment, the center has room for new weight training equipment. Five thousand pounds of new free-weights are on the way as well, Hansard said. There will also be more elliptical trainers, rowing machines, recumbent stationary bikes and leg presses. xxxAccording to Steven Bowlin, who has been the fitness center's director since 2011, the new equipment should be available within the next few weeks, depending on how long the electrical system renovations take. A fitness instruction kiosk, which offers on-demand classes via a large video screen, and a parent/ child area for parents to work out while keeping an eye on their kids through a plexiglass wall are also being installed. The center is a busy place, Bowlin said. It has only eight staff members and averages more than 100 visitors per hour, he said. One of the most important missions for the fitness center is conducting Air Force physical training tests, a requirement for all Airmen. An average of more than 200 tests a week are performed at the center, he said. "PT tests used to take up the basketball courts four days a week," Bowlin said. "And the courts weren't available for anything else." Now a room near the racquetball courts has been converted for testing, including the gathering of height and weight information and for Airmen to perform the push-up and sit-up portions of the test. A door in the room opens onto the running track to the north of the center, which is where Airmen can run the 1.5-mile portion of the test. That change has allowed the basketball courts to remain open for other activities. Longer-term plans include replacement of the basketball court floors and for the sauna to be reopened. "This is a work in progress," Hansard said. "A year from now, we might have more changes." There are also plans to reopen the West Fitness Center later this year. The fitness center, which is just north of Aberdeen Avenue on the west side of base, has been closed since March 2013. The plan is for it to be a military 24-hour- a-day, seven-days-a-week facility, Bowlin said. The East Fitness Center is on the west side of Texas Street, between Frost and G Avenues. It is open Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is also open some holidays. Active-duty Airmen, Reserve and National Guard members, Air Force civilian employees, Department of Energy employees, Department of Defense employees, Sandia National Laboratories employees, military retirees and Civil Air Patrol members can use the center. Non-DOD ID card holders are not authorized to bring guests to the center. Everyone using the gym should carry his or her ID card. For more information, call 846- 1102.