Lyon Center updates floors, pool deck

The Lyon Center completed renovations during winter break intended to improve its facilities.

Facility maintenance has updated the floors in all of the Lyon Center’s common areas including hallways and stairwells, according to Justine Gilman, director of Recreational Facilities and Fitness.

Renovation · Students play ping pong in the upstairs hallway of the Lyon Center. The Lyon Center finished installing new flooring in the common areas including hallways and stairways over winter break. - Jennifer Schultz | Daily Trojan

Gilman said the Lyon Center is currently working to replace the pool deck, which is scheduled to be finished in the middle of February.

The pool area will continue to be improved this semester as external landscaping and fencing for the pool are currently in a concept stage. The Lyon Center is also looking to redo the dive tower later this semester.

Some students, however, wish the Lyon Center focused the renovations more on the machines.

“[The flooring] doesn’t really mean a lot to me,” said Travis McLain, a sophomore majoring in interactive entertainment. “Maybe some more machines would be better because the cardio ones get really crowded.”

Dana Levin, a junior majoring in biological sciences, said she would work out at the Lyon Center if there were more machines.

“I don’t go to the Lyon Center much because its always just a bit too crowded but if they are adding in more spaces, the changes might entice me to go more often,” Levin said.

Gilman said the center is constantly trading old equipment for new equipment, but more machines are not likely to be added in the near future.

“As for adding a number of pieces, I don’t see that happening right now in terms of space,” Gilman said. “But we will continue to trade out and bring in new equipment.”

Nehi Ogbevoen, vice president of Undergraduate Student Government, said he hopes the construction will benefit students and address their past complaints about the Lyon Center.

“We kept hearing complaints from students about how the machines are broken, spaces are limited, and we are very excited about the new renovations because it will begin to address some of these needs,” Ogbevoen said.

In addition to the flooring and pool deck renovations, the Lyon Center is awaiting new digital televisions that should arrive by the end of the month, Gilman said.

“When the university went from analog to digital, 50 percent of our TVs were analog, so we are replacing the old to bring in the new digital ones,” Gilman said.

Inconveniences to students were minimal because the bulk of the renovation took place during break and the multiple rainstorms in Southern California caused only minimal delays, according to Gilman.

The Lyon Center was closed from Dec. 14 to Dec. 17 to seal the flooring, but only parts of the center were closed during the rest of the renovating process.

The construction was a collaborative effort of USG, Recreational Sports and Programs and Recreational Facilities and Fitness.

Chris Cheng, USG president, said there are a wide array of possibilities for university construction in the future.

“Now that the campus center is done, it opens up the door for new construction projects across the campus,” he said.