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Senior soccer player Bianca Sierra fell in love with Auburn's new Recreation and Wellness
Center the moment she saw it.
"It's awesome. It blew my mind away really. I wasn't expecting something like this. It
is just really pretty"
Sierra is one of the many Auburn students who have taken advantage of the brand new,
one-of-a-kind recreational facility during its first month of operation. The center has
a list of amenities nearly as long as the 1/3 of a mile indoor track: from workout stations
that are spread throughout the building to alleviate overcrowding...to a challenging
five-story rock climbing wall...to an outdoor pool for swimming and relaxing...basketball,
soccer and more.
"We have something for everyone and I think we will become a destination for our students.
And I think this weekend we saw that. And the fact that we're not very crowded on the
weekends but we were very crowded this past weekend. So I think our students realize now
that they have a reason to stay on campus."
The August opening of the Recreation and Wellness Center culminated a four year process begun
in 2009 by then SGA President Lauren Hayes. Under her leadership, students voted themselves
an increase in activity fees so future Auburn students would have a first-class facility.
"I think it had been talked about, honestly for decades. Everyone knew we needed a new
center but when I came into my presidency it really was just the right time to take
it to the next level. BUTT I know this is going to make a huge impact on high school
students as they're coming to visit Auburn or people who visit for football games. It's
just going to be another part of the Auburn experience. It's going to be very memorable."
"I think it will definitely help with recruiting and stuff. Even with the soccer players cause
we are always active all the time and having an extra place to work out and not just the
soccer field and weight room, something new will be awesome."
"It has been amazing. I just cannot even tell you how excited the students have been. It's
just been incredible. I had no idea it would be this good."