Then and Now: 10 years of Associated Students Aztec Recreation
No university recreation facility in the country is open more hours than SDSU’s Aztec Recreation Center. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the Aztec Recreation Center (ARC) and the beginning of a nationally renown sports and fitness facility. Ten years ago, without an ARC or Aztec Aquaplex, recreation activities were headquartered in two primary locations: Recreational Sports (in Peterson Gym) and the now defunct Leisure Connection. Vicki Greene, ARC Member Services Coordinator, (who served as the Leisure Programs Manager ten years ago) comments about The Leisure Connection programs, “We offered four hours of step aerobics and two aqua-aerobics classes each week. Students would buy a semester aerobics pass that would allow them to participate in any of the six classes.” Classes were held in mirror-less rooms including the Aztec Center Backdoor, the Peterson Gym balcony, or the old Terry Pool. The aerobics program served only 100 participants per semester compared to the typical 6,000 students who participate in group fitness at the ARC each semester.
Greene says, “The Leisure Connection had a very different culture compared to the ARC”, offering such rec class programs as beer brewing, woodworking, stained glass classes, ceramics and “clownology” – where students learned the trade of professional clowning. The Leisure Connection also housed the Aztec Adventures Outdoor Program - this program now includes the ARC rock climbing wall – integrated into students daily lives as over 3,000 participate in rock climbing at the ARC each semester.
Aztec Center Bowling & Games was available to students prior to 1997; however, with the addition of the ARC membership’s all-inclusive pricing structure to include free bowling, student participation has grown significantly over the past 10 years.
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