In the lower level of the Kennedy Center is the James Haglund Family Fitness and Recreation Center, a space that is devoted to the fitness and wellness of the Augsburg community. With the opening of the facility, Augsburg's fitness and training space was doubled, including the renovations to the Hoyt Messerer Fitness Center. The two fitness facilities are adjacent to each other on the lower level of the Si Melby Hall/Kennedy Center complex.
The centerpiece of the lower level of Si Melby Hall is the Hoyt Messerer Fitness Center, a place where student-athletes and members of the Augsburg community build their physical strength.
The fitness center was basically doubled in size during two separate expansions in the 2000 renovation project. The first project, in the fall of 1999, expanded the facility by 277 square feet. Another 677 square-foot expansion was completed during the main phase of the 2000 project, leaving a 1,600-square-foot space for Auggies to train.
Following the 2006 Kennedy Center addition project, the Hoyt Messerer Fitness Center is now one of two training facilities for use by the college; the James Haglund Family Fitness Center is in the lower level of the Kennedy Center, adjacent to the Hoyt Messerer Fitness Center.
The Messerer Fitness Center was dedicated in June 2001 for Hoyt Messerer '39, an Augsburg alumnus who was one of four founders of the Alumni A-Club in 1937, while he was still a student-athlete on the football, basketball and baseball teams. Messerer and his wife Lucille Messerer were loyal supporters of Augsburg, endowing numerous scholarships and helping to support the college's athletic department.
The James Haglund Family Fitness and Recreation Center is designed as a compliment to the Hoyt Messerer Fitness Center. While the Messerer complex is now primarily geared towards free weights and weight training, the Haglund complex is primarily geared towards aerobic and fitness training.
The Haglund fitness complex features numerous treadmills, stairmasters and exercise bikes. Some of the fitness training machines have personal television screens, enabling users to be entertained while they exercise. Two flat-screen TVs are also available for users to watch.
The complex also features several Precor fitness and weight-training machines, designed for ease of use by the general public. There are also free weights available for use in the Haglund complex.
The fitness facilities are open and free for use by all Augsburg students, faculty, staff and alumni.
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