No more lifting weights on campus without paying a membership fee
Photo via onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca.
The McKinnon fitness weight room and dance studio, located between the bookstore and CARSA, has officially closed as of April 11, leaving students frustrated about losing the only free place to work out on campus.
Concerns about the mandatory $94 Athletics and Recreation (ATRS) fee that all students pay was also brought up in an open FAQ on the gym’s website. People were confused about what it was being used for if not the free athletic services on campus. A Reddit user posted on the UVic subreddit about this and questioned why this wasn’t made clear to students earlier.
Shortly after this student voiced their concerns regarding the McKinnon gym, UVic put out an official statement saying, “the University of Victoria is advancing its partnership with the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific (CSI Pacific) by inviting them to work on campus starting in Fall 2024, increasing opportunities to provide athletic supports and training and to deepen research in applied sport science and active health.”
“CSI Pacific will move into dedicated and shared space in the McKinnon building where they will be able to work closely with the UVic School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education (EPHE) and Athletics and Recreation Services.”
The statement ends by encouraging students to “use the state-of-the-art facilities at CARSA.” While the ATRS fee does help subsidize the cost of CARSA (Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities) for students, it still costs an additional $93 a term to access the weight room at CARSA and another $93 to access the climbing wall, with additional fees on top of that for fitness classes.
A UVic spokesperson told the Martlet in an email that the university is “exploring possible alternative solutions to address the concern of no longer having McKinnon Weight Room available.”
The cost of a CARSA membership doubles the ATRS fee of $94 that all students must pay every term, hiking up basic fitness fees to around $187 for one term. In 2022, this fee was changed so that part-time students no longer pay a reduced rate compared to full-time students. The university says this is because “on average, UVic part-time students use ATRS facilities and services more often than full-time students,” with no data provided to substantiate this claim.
UVic’s comment on the original Reddit post garnered a wave of downvotes. It says that “In response to what your athletics fee goes to, contrary to what you may assume, it’s not a weight room membership fee.”
However, an archived version of the Vikes Recreation FAQ webpage originally said that students must pay the ATRS fee because “this portion of the student fees allows UVic to provide access to a range of facilities for all students, including free access to the McKinnon pool and weight room, CARSA squash courts, drop-in activities, and regular-season varsity home games.”
But reading it now, “weight room” has been quietly removed from the explanation.
“The mandatory ATRS fee is a longstanding aspect of UVic’s commitment to fostering a holistic and inclusive campus environment. This fee is not a user fee,” wrote the university spokesperson. “It serves as vital support for maintaining high-quality facilities and offering diverse programming related to accessing inclusive, healthy active living and sport on campus. It’s an investment that supports the infrastructure, programming and services available to all students.”
In addition to losing access to the free services of the McKinnon weight room, students have also brought up the recent increase to intramural league fees on Reddit. The new price is $50 for most sports up from the previous $30 fee, furthering the discussion of where athletics fees are going if not to the gym or intramurals.
In typical UVic subreddit fashion, a student has already created a petition to fight back against the closing of the McKinnon gym.
“Unfortunately, we just got the news that McKinnon Weight Room will be closing as of April 11. For many students, McKinnon Gym is very welcoming, not crowded, and its cost is included in our Athletic fee. If you want to support this cause, please sign the petition.
We will reach out to UVIC to find an alternative for the students.”
One Reddit user commented about their disappointment in the situation, saying, “I’m particularly incensed about this btw. Because when I went to [the Student Wellness Centre] for help with my long term depression and anxiety, one of the first suggestions was to use the gym for social exercise in lieu of any comprehensive mental health support.
Without cost-effective access to recreational facilities, UVic students looking to exercise for their mental and physical health — as allegedly recommended by another facility of the university itself — could be barred by a paywall.
“UVic is deeply committed to the mental health and wellbeing of students—it’s central to student success and a key consideration in our decision making,” a UVic spokesperson told the Martlet in response to concerns about mental wellness. “In the meantime, there are several other physical activities available, including drop-in squash, basketball, volleyball, badminton, and pickleball at CARSA and our outdoor playing fields at no additional cost. If you want to play any of these games and need the equipment, borrow it for free at the CARSA equipment desk.”
The UVic athletics FAQs says that “whether you use the ATRS services or not, the mandatory fee provides a crucial role in supporting mental and physical health for all students at UVic enriching the university experience.”
Equipment from the McKinnon gym is now available to purchase on the BC Auction website.
