“The Well” is a revolutionary 153,000 square-foot recreation and wellness center, which is currently being built on campus next to Parking Structure III; it is scheduled to open to students, faculty, staff and alumni in September 2010.

When completed, the new facility will feature an indoor track, three fitness studios, racquetball courts, a rock climbing wall and the student health center which will move from its current location near Yosemite Hall. There will also be a massage therapy spa, a babysitting center and space for Peak Adventures, according to the official recreation and wellness center website.

Five years ago, students approached Associated Students, Inc., demanding a referendum passed enabling this center to be built and, in October 2008, students got their wish.

Mirgana Gavric, director of “The Well,” has her hands full with overseeing the operation, but doesn’t worry about “The Well’s” success.

“We are ahead of schedule and are doing really well with the construction,” she said. “We have a live web cam and we encourage people to check it out.”

Gavric said that “The Well” will be available to students, faculty, staff and alumni. However, while students can use the facility free of charge, faculty, staff and alumni will have to pay a membership fee.

“We are still working on how much that will be, but it will be competitive with the current markets,” she said.

Dezi Bailey, junior recreation, parks and tourism administration major, is excited about the progress the campus is making, but wishes the center would have something more.

“I wish we had an indoor pool,” she said. “But it’s not just a gym, I’ve seen the cardio room here on campus – it’s a hole in the wall. So this will be really great for us.”

On the first floor of the University Union, there is a preview room that offers an idea of what the center will look like after its completion.

“You can get a look at the glass, the wood, feel the countertops,” Gavric said. “And so far we have gotten a lot of positive feedback from the room.”

The preview room is open Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the University Union.

Another revolutionary concept Gavric and her team are working on is biometrics.

“As we get closer to opening the building, we will be doing biometrics; giving people the chance to do finger scans,” she said. “You can just come work out and not have to worry about losing your card.”

This finger scan can be tested out in the preview room as well as a number of exercise machines that students can try out.

“We want people to tell us which one(s) they like, have them do a survey. It’s good feedback for us,” Gavric said.

Gavric said “The Well” is so much more than just a place to go to ride a bike for an hour or two in between classes.

“We are teaming up with athletics. We are looking to partner up with all these other agencies and colleges on campus,” she said. “For example, we would contact the business department and see if they want to provide classes on financial stability,”

A few events will be going on before the grand opening of “The Well” next fall to give students and faculty a better idea of what this recreation center is all about.

At 6:30 p.m. on April 16 in the Serna Plaza, “The Well” is hosting a “Fun Run and Walk.” The event is free for everyone, it will include a live band.

Another event, “The Topping Out Party” will take place at 1 p.m. on May 12 at the top of Parking Structure III. This event is especially important, Gavric said, because it signifies that the building is close to completion. People can watch from the top of the parking structure as the last piece of steel is put in place.

Ken Morton, associate director of “The Well,” said the building of the center is long overdue.

“I was director of recreational sports a few years ago, and I knew what we were lacking before, so I was excited to be a part of the process,” he said.

Morton said there is a soft opening first to work out all the bugs and then a grand opening during the fall semester. A date for the soft opening has yet to be determined.

While this center may be the missing piece to the university’s recreation puzzle, it does come with a hefty construction price tag: a cool $5 million, and that is just estimation, Gavric said.

Annie Moore, senior business major, said she has concerns about the construction of “The Well” and how it will affect students.

“I wonder how many students really know where their money is going,” she said. “Because if I knew it was going toward a recreation center I won’t even be able to enjoy, I’d be a little upset.” (Why wouldn’t she be able to go? Because she is graduating in May and moving to L.A.)

The web cam can be viewed on “The Well’s” website at www.thewell.csus.edu.

Amber Wertman can be reached at [email protected]