Makeover Malley!

 “I want to go to the gym right now, but I know it's going to be too crowded.” 

If you’re a Santa Clara student, I am certain you’ve found yourself saying this saying at some point or another.

Serving more than 6,000 undergraduate students, 3,000 graduate students and 900 faculty, the Pat Malley Fitness and Recreation Center, or, colloquially, Malley, is not large enough to accommodate the demand across campus. While the varsity athletes have the luxury of a brand-new gymnasium, the rest of the student body and faculty often find themselves shoulder-to-shoulder in the gym. 

Running on the treadmill or weight lifting isn’t everyone’s favorite form of physical activity, but a large portion of Santa Clara students and faculty still utilize the gym to remain active, healthy and mentally equipped for the everyday stresses of college life. Renovating Malley to be larger and more modern would create a welcoming and functional environment for students who are also hesitant to be active in a crowd. 

Physical exercise is a crucial part of individuals’ mental health. Malley’s current layout is not conducive to encouraging students to learn how to lift weights or ride on a stationary bike for the first time. Funding needs to go to a larger gym where advanced deadlifters, beginner treadmill runners and students like myself who just want to move their bodies for 60 minutes every day feel comfortable doing their workout. 

Fall 2024 will mark 25 years since Malley was constructed. Compared to many other universities, Santa Clara’s gym is outdated. The lack of space, frequently broken sauna and some antiquated equipment lead to an unpredictable workout experience. In the past 10 years, Santa Clara has completed renovation and construction projects on 52 buildings and areas of campus. None of these publicized projects have included major changes to the interior of Malley Fitness and Recreation Center. 

Maggie McCurdy, Marketing Coordinator for the facility, shared that students often complain to her about how crowded Malley tends to be. Her team is often working on the limited space problem and the outdated facilities and equipment in the building. To this end, over winter break, employees removed equipment that was rarely used to create more space for popular equipment and busy areas. 

Facility Supervisor and senior student Morgan Clough noticed that the pool receives more funding than the rest of the recreation center because of the Division 1 athletic teams–Women’s and Men’s Water Polo–that use it. But athletes aren’t the only ones who reap significant benefits from adequate exercise facilities.

“Fitness centers at colleges are arguably the most used place by students and contribute a lot to their wellbeing,” Clough said. 

With social life and school work, maintaining an active lifestyle can be difficult in college. But that does not mean students won’t make time for this important aspect of our health, if given an approachable opportunity to do so. Having enough space to stay active and healthy in the gym is essential for a campus of young people.