Both the RAC (left) and the PGAC at Maple Leaf Gardens (right) will be available to students.

Kelsey Wingerak

Spring of 2009 may feel like a lifetime ago for students anticipating the opening of Ryerson’s new gym, the Peter Gilgan Athletic Centre (PGAC).

With the expected completion date for the renovations on the legendary Maple Leaf Gardens (MLG) being pushed back and pushed again, some students are forgetting what they even voted for in the 2009 athletics referendum. There have been a number of rumours floating around, about what the new facility will mean for students.

“There will be no more Recreation and Athletics Centre (RAC) membership fee,” said Anthony Seymour, the manager of recreation at Ryerson. But instead, he said, the cost will be incorporated into every student’s tuition.

There has always been a cost included in tuition, but with the referendum passing, this means the fee is going up, “from I believe, $63 to $189,” he said.

Some students have mused that only the varsity athletes will have access to the PGAC and the student population will have to continue using only the RAC.

This is not the case.

“The RAC will continue to operate pretty much the same as it is now,” Seymour said, and “students will have access to both.”

Alison Hull, a fourth-year fashion design student and frequent gym user said, “I’ll probably go to the new one just because it’s new.”

But Seymour isn’t concerned about the RAC becoming a ghost town. The PGAC “doesn’t have things like the pool, doesn’t have a track, doesn’t have squash courts, so there are still things that are unique to the RAC.” He said programs and opportunities will continue at both locations.

Hull disagrees with the assertion that students aren’t going to want to go off-campus to use the PGAC.

“It’s kind of nice that the new gym is a bit off of campus. Like even one block gives you a chance to get off campus,” Hull said.

The sports and recreation staff are really trying to cover all of their bases and are preparing for an influx of new members now that everyone will have a gym pass at their disposal.

One of the main concerns is an already apparent lack of locker space for current members in the RAC. “One of the things we’re looking at is opening the old team rooms to being locker- rooms,” Seymour said.

 “As far as moving in, it’s really going to be getting the staff in and getting the building into operational level,” Seymour said. “When we get handed the keys there’s still going to be a period of setup and of testing.” He said that could take anywhere from three to six weeks.

“What that timeline is from the day I get the keys to the day that I can say it’s safe for members to come in, I don’t know yet. That’s (the) construction guy’s decision.”