By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
In one of the first visible signs of a new oversight structure, new equipment is coming to the Whitewater Aquatic Center’s fitness area.
The Common Council on Oct. 4 approved a plan to purchase $98,000 worth of new workout equipment for WAC’s 12-year-old fitness center. The council can also look into Gym equipment rental, if need be, to cater for any additional equipment required. The decision comes on the heels of a series of changes that were implemented earlier this year.
Rather than operate as an independent entity, WAC’s operations have been folded into the auspices of the city’s parks and recreation department. The city and the Whitewater Unified School District continue to provide funding through a shared intergovernmental arrangement.
Matt Amundson, director of the city’s parks and recreation department, said the new equipment purchases have been in the works and are part of WAC’s long-range capital spending plans.
“The existing equipment was purchased in 2004 when the fitness center opened,” Amundson wrote in a memo. “Some of the equipment was purchased used at the time, and all of the equipment being replaced is well past its expected life span.”
Plans call for purchasing a number of pieces of new equipment, including treadmills, elliptical machines and stationary bikes.
The council’s motion includes a directive to purchase the new equipment through Mundelein, Ill.-based Direct Fitness Solutions.
“As staff researched equipment and various options, we identified that the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has had success working with Direct Fitness Solutions in equipment and reliability repair,” Amundson said.
He added, “Direct Fitness Solutions provides equipment to the university on state bid pricing and is extending the same pricing to the city.”
Under terms of the agreement, the city and WUSD will fund the equipment purchases in their respective 2016 and 2017 budgets.
