Abby Eubanks was sitting in her Douthit Hills apartment when she came across an Instagram post that caught her eye.
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“Come get your free towel,” the post read from Clemson’s official Student Affairs account. “Douthit Hills fitness center minutes away from opening!”
Yes, the new Douthit Hills fitness center is a towel-free facility. More importantly, officials from Campus Recreation were on site distributing them as students filed into the near 30,000-square foot complex which opened for the first time Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Eubanks convinced her roommate Shelly Bassett to head over together to the second floor of the Hub building, where they were among 468 students in all to visit the facility for a workout on opening day.
The facility’s first full day of operation is Wednesday, Oct. 24.
“It is so great to have this type of option right here in our residential community,” Eubanks said. “Now we don’t always have to walk to Fike (Recreation Center) on the other side of campus; we have so many great opportunities to work out just a few steps away.”
It was a big day altogether for Campus Rec, whose staff members took the opportunity to show off the shiniest and newest space in its inventory to guests during a two-hour span as part of the Hub’s open house celebration.
After students swipe in with their TigerOne cards, they are greeted to the right by one of the signature elements of the facility — a large, illuminated Tiger Paw. The iconic Clemson symbol is adjacent to a pair of large studio spaces — one with bright, open views of campus and room for a plethora of group fitness classes, and the other designed to deliver a unique, theater-style cycling experience.
The fitness center includes approximately 60 pieces of cardio equipment, including some that will allow students to compete virtually against friends and strangers alike. Adjacent to the cardio area are a number of selectorized machines, where students can adjust and modify settings to meet their workout needs. Around the corner from those two areas is a large space for functional training. The facility is completed with men’s and women’s locker rooms, which are equipped with showers and day-use lockers.
It’s safe to say, everyone was impressed with what they saw on the tour.
“The biggest thing students see is modern, top-of-the-line recreation facilities,” said Chris Fiocchi, senior director of Campus Recreation. “Some of the views from inside are absolutely incredible.”
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