The wait is over – the newly renovated Pulse Fitness Centre will be fully open to students by January 2023
On Dec. 12, the McMaster community saw the long-awaited opening of the newly renovated Pulse Fitness Centre, located at David Braley Athletic Centre.
The centre has long been under renovation, the project having started in 2018. Over the last four years, Pulse members were directed to use the three new temporary gym spaces set up at Therese Quigley Sport Hall, the indoor track level in DBAC and pop-up Pulse locations.
With the soft opening of the new Pulse location, the temporary gym spaces on campus closed operations on the evening of Dec. 11. McMaster Athletics & Recreation will be converting Sport Hall back into a recreational space for intramurals, drop-in recreation and rental use.
The soft opening in December introduced several expanded and enhanced recreation features to Pulse members, including an expanded cardio level, an expanded first floor weight training section, a women’s only fitness area and new fitness studios.
A few additional features were made available to Pulse members following the official grand opening in January 2023, including a three-story climbing wall and three new third floor fitness studios. The new fitness studios are estimated to be open for fitness classes as of Jan. 9.
The McMaster Pulse Instagram has been posting updates on the unveiling, including testimonies from Pulse employees and gym members on what they’ve been enjoying most from the newly renovated fitness spaces.
While speaking to The Silhouette, Pulse trainer and third year undergraduate student Kadyn Kapitain discussed some of the most significant changes members should be excited for in the newly renovated Pulse.
“I think one huge change is the variety of equipment. We have different angles of chest press machines, which is just totally a new thing. There are machines that people have wanted that we didn't have before, like a Smith machine… And then there’s the space too. There's much more space, so no one has to wait for equipment really ever,” said Kapitain.
Kapitain also highlighted how the women’s only section at the new Pulse has been elevated to include both a walled-off area and a studio, which offers upgraded security and privacy compared to the previous curtained-off women’s only area in the temporary Pulse centre.
As seen on social media and from Kapitain’s comments, reactions to the new gym have been overwhelmingly positive from the Pulse community. Kapitain explained that the opening of the new fitness centre carries a lot of significance to its members and staff.
“I think fitness is such an important thing because it can feel like a de-stressor, but also... For me, and I’m sure other gym members, it's an identity thing. Athletics and fitness are a part of who I am. And so, I feel revived just being able to go to the gym and work out, or just being there with the community” said Kapitain.
Updates on the remaining/upcoming opening dates and hours of operation can be found at McMaster Athletics & Recreation. As this was only a “soft opening”, there will be more announcements to come.
C/O Alora Griffiths (Unsplash)
Want to get more recreational exercise? See what options McMaster has for you!
Following a strange year for sports at schools all around Ontario, COVID-19 restrictions are lifting rapidly province wide. With this comes new opportunities for all students, competitive athletes and amateurs — real amateurs, not Ontario’s definition of amateurs. You can now participate in sports all around campus.
In comparison to the beginning of the year, Mac has opened many additional facilities that you can use at specified times every day, including court usage, the gym, the pools and more.
In comparison to the beginning of the year, Mac has opened many additional facilities that you can use at specified times every day, including court usage, the gym, the pools and more.
For those interested in swimming, there is some great news. McMaster has daily openings at their swimming pool, located in the Ivor Wynne Centre, for all students to experience. There are a total of five time slots throughout the day, from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. for students to use, each one an hour in duration.
Apart from numerous other intramural programs that the campus has offered through the course of the year, there are still various drop-in opportunities daily. Even with exams approaching, there are still opportunities to drop in and compete. The most common drop-ins are currently basketball and volleyball, located at the Smith and Burridge Gym, respectively. To find the schedules for these programs, you can visit the recreation website.
As we stray away from COVID-19 restrictions, the campus sports program will become more available and open to the student body. There are still numerous programs and facilities — such as the Pulse gym — that can accommodate anyone who wishes to exercise. To keep up with the latest news or any new programs that may become open to anyone, make sure to check in with the Mac Athletics and Recreation website.
Travis Nguyen/Photo Editor
After over a year of inactivity, the pulse is making a comeback and all are welcome!
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the campus was relatively inactive. For the fall and winter semester in 2020-2021 academic year, facilities such as the David Braley Athletic Centre were not used by regular students due to the provincial guidelines. However, after over a year of inactivity within the Mac campus, the Pulse is finally reopening, albeit with a slight twist.
Since Sept. 7, the Pulse has been open at three different locations on campus. The gym will be running under an “open gym” system, in which the members who sign up can access the equipment on a first come, first served basis. However, students will be limited solely to the specific location that they have booked.
The general rules associated with the Pulse will be presented to students before they sign up, but include mandatory provincial guidelines, such as mask wearing. However, the students will not be required to wear their masks in designated stations, but will have to maintain physical distance at all times.
Although the Pulse has reopened for the whole student body, it will be divided into three locations to ensure social distancing and avoid overcrowding. When signing up for a gym session, Pulse members must sign up for a one and half hour time slot in one of the three locations.
The first location is the Sport Hall Pulse. The Thérèse Quigley Sport Hall is located within DBAC and has an area of 16,000 square feet. Additionally, the Quigley Sport Hall is equipped with bikes, stair climbers, ellipticals, manual treadmills, dumbbells, benches, cable machines, squat racks and heavy duty platforms.
The second location is the Pop-Up Pulse. The East Auxiliary gym is a temporary gym created for fitness activity until the Student Activity and Fitness Expansion Project — a multi-faceted project featuring the addition of a 3-story fitness addition, a 4-story student activity building and renovations to DBAC — is complete. This 7,500 square foot gym is located in the Ivor Wynne Centre. The gym is also beneficial for students when the main centre of the Pulse gets too busy, or just for students who are seeking new space. The Pop-Up Pulse also offers a wide variety of equipment including free weights, squat racks, machine resistance equipment, cardio equipment and more. Additionally, the East Auxiliary Gym offers a private womens-only section.
The third location is the Track Pulse, located at DBAC. Just like the Pop-Up Pulse, this gym offers a women's only area, as well as a co-ed Area. The women's area is equipped with open floor space, fitness studio equipment, bikes, stair climbers, ellipticals, dumbbells, cable machines and a section of pin selectorized machines.
A regular Pulse membership (included in tuition costs) includes access to all equipment within any of the three gyms, drop-in fitness classes and the Feather Family Climbing Wall. Additionally, there are personal trainers monitoring the floor at all times for anyone requiring general assistance.
Students who have begun to attend the Pulse for the first time have expressed their general opinions on the new gym concept that is applied for the year. Emil Soleymani, a second-year studying software engineering who was eager to visit the Pulse, expressed his discontent regarding the Pop-Up Pulse.
“I registered about two days before my slot and the whole system went smoothly. However, I was somewhat disappointed when I arrived at one of the sites offered on the forms. It had outdated equipment and it generally seemed like it was small,” explained Soleymani.
“I registered about two days before my slot and the whole system went smoothly. However, I was somewhat disappointed when I arrived at one of the sites offered on the forms. It had outdated equipment and it generally seemed like it was small.”
Emil Soleymani, Second-Year Student
Although dismayed by the site itself, Soleymani did not hesitate to acknowledge the efforts of the gym instructors.
“They were extremely helpful in showing me around, where I can wear and where I don't have to wear a mask. They were very considerate and deserve all due credit,” explained Soleymani.
“They were extremely helpful in showing me around, where I can wear and where I don't have to wear a mask. They were very considerate and deserve all due credit."
Emil Soleymani, Second Year Student
When coming to the gym, the students should also be fully aware of the rules and regulations that are in place. These include restrictions on what can be worn inside the gym, which objects can be brought to the gym and which resources the students should bring along when entering the gym, such as their key card. The full rules and regulations can be found here.
C/O ŞULE MAKAROĞLU
A new dress code for the Pulse Fitness Centre now allows students to wear tanktops and sleeveless shirts.
Each year, students at McMaster University pay an annual fee for membership to the Pulse Fitness Centre. At the Pulse, students have access to a wide range of fitness equipment and recreational programming.
In the past, to enter the Pulse, not only was membership required, but students also had to adhere to other rules and regulations of the centre. This included wearing proper athletic footwear and a full shirt with sleeves.
However, on Aug. 25, 2021, the Pulse announced that the centre’s dress code is being updated. Students are now allowed to wear sleeveless shirts and tank tops.
Students are now allowed to wear sleeveless shirts and tank tops.
In previous years, the dress code at the Pulse has been up for much discussion amongst students.
Lee-Anne Wilson, wellness and fitness coordinator at the Pulse, said that following complaints, petitions and student feedback that the staff members have received over these years, an update to the dress code now felt like the right time.
Wilson explained that the school had initially decided on the previous dress code due to findings from an old study that dates back over 20 years. The study noted that people tend to be more comfortable in the gym when other members are dressed more conservatively. This was especially the case for novice exercisers or those who are new to the gym and may be feeling more uncomfortable.
With the welcoming of students back on to campus following school closure in March of 2020 due to COVID-19, McMaster now faces two cohorts of undergraduate students who are unfamiliar with campus facilities. In addition to all the previous concerns students had expressed in the past, Wilson explained that the centre felt this was the perfect opportunity to implement a new dress code.
“It felt like this was a good time to do something that student members in particular would be happy about,” said Wilson.
Aside from consulting with other staff members within McMaster, Wilson said that the centre also conducted research into other university gyms and commercial gyms to compare the school’s dress code with others.
“I went out to other universities in Ontario to find out if there were anyone who had a dress code that was as strict as ours and at this point, we were the only one left, so that tells you something,” explained Wilson.
“I went out to other universities in Ontario to find out if there were anyone who had a dress code that was as strict as ours, and at this point, we were the only one left, so that tells you something.”
Lee-Anne Wilson, Wellness & Fitness Coordinator
Victoria Cirone, a fourth-year kinesiology student and fitness instructor at the Pulse, said although the previous dress code did not cause too much of a hindrance for her, she is glad that it has been changed.
“I didn’t mind having to wear a t-shirt . . . It really [came down to] when I was really sweating and working hard sort of thing, where I felt it was physically uncomfortable,” Cirone explained.
As of now, nobody has expressed negative concerns about the dress code change or a desire to keep the previous dress code.
On the other hand, Wilson and Cirone both said responses to this change from students have been extremely positive.
Students have already begun considering the new dress code as they arrive at the gym in their workout attire.
“Some people are wearing t-shirts. Some people are wearing tank tops . . . It’s a mix, but it feels like people are wearing what they want to wear,” said Wilson.
“Some people are wearing t-shirts. Some people are wearing tank tops…It’s a mix, but it feels like people are wearing what they want to wear.”
Lee-Anne Wilson, Wellness & FItness Coordinator
Aside from the new dress code, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pulse has also been operating with a different set of protocols. Students who want to use gym equipment at the centre need to sign up for a one and a half-hour time slot at one of three locations. This includes the Sport Hall Pulse, Pop-Up Pulse and Track Pulse.
Sign-ups open 48 hours ahead of time and students are required to always wear a mask indoors.
Although wearing a mask during workouts might not always be comfortable, Cirone expressed that she is in agreement with the protocol as she understands it helps keep everyone safe.
“My thinking is, if this is the way I’ll keep myself and other people safe, so be it,” explained Cirone. “[I]f it’s what we got to do to prevent outbreaks and covid and that sort of thing, I’m all for it.”
“My thinking is, if this is the way I’ll keep myself and other people safe, so be it.”
Victoria Cirone, Fourth-Year Kinesiology Student
Cirone also suggested that students can consider bringing an extra mask to change during their workout in order to feel more comfortable if their masks get too sweaty.
Currently, Cirone has been teaching fitness classes virtually but has also taught outdoor classes during the summer in person.
For Cirone, both in-person and virtual classes have their own set of benefits.
“[When you’re in-person] you get to actually see people face-to-face and there was more engagement and feedback . . . Whereas now, virtually, I get to join people at home where it might be a more comfortable setting for different folks,” said Cirone.
Although navigating fitness programs and other services offered at the Pulse has not been easy with the ongoing pandemic, Wilson expressed that she is most thankful for how cooperative and patient students have been.
“I really [want to] say thank you to the McMaster community and our student members who have just been so fantastic, understanding and accommodating. We’ve been working really hard. It [hasn’t] been easy for anybody in a [public service] business to get through this,” said Wilson. "It’s been a joy to see everybody back in the gym, being active and being able to have that outlet while they’re on campus.”
“I really [want to] say thank you to the McMaster community and our student members who have just been so fantastic, understanding and accommodating. We’ve been working really hard. It [hasn’t] been easy for anybody in a [public service] business to get through this. It’s been a joy to see everybody back in the gym, being active and being able to have that outlet while they’re on campus.”
Lee-Anne Wilson, Wellness & Fitness Coordinator
By: Elliot Fung
In March 2017, students voted in a special referendum in favour of of the creation of the new Student Activity Building and expanded Pulse. Years of student surveys, focus groups and planning seem to be finally paying off as construction for the new 40,000 square foot Student Activity Building and expanded Pulse begins this fall.
The McMaster Students Union SAB space allocation ad-hoc committee was struck at a Student Representative Assembly meeting last April and serves to consult students about their ideas and priorities regarding space allocation in the new building and ensure that the ways in which space and student fees are used align with students’ interests.
SAB student consultation surveys in the past have largely focused on space allocation and what services students want in a building dedicated to them. Some recommendations for the SAB consisted of study spaces, nap rooms, lounge space, a cafe and food court, a multifaith prayer space and a grocery store.
The 2017 SAB space allocation ad-hoc committee survey garnered 426 responses. Nevertheless, with a student body of approximately 27,000, the responses represent the opinions of only 1.6 per cent of the undergraduate student population in 2017.
This September, the MSU spearheaded a final campaign to consult students about more specific design preferences for the new SAB. The final survey asked students what they want the interior of the SAB to look like.
The final report from this year’s SAB committee highlights that within the four weeks of the survey being open, the total complete responses tallied to 945. While the committee report boasts a 105 per cent increase in undergraduate student responses as compared to last year’s poor showing, 945 still represents only approximately 3.5 per cent of the undergrad student body.
Nevertheless, promotion of the survey on social media and in-person reached many students.
In particular, the SAB committee reports that the promotional Facebook video reached 5,000 unique viewers and approximately 1,200 students received information cards at McMaster Homecoming Expo.
This year, the committee suggests a number of interior design elements based on the majority results of the online survey. Some of the suggestions include removable cushions on the first-floor open steps, tables in the third-floor meeting room with a dynamic design in addition to a clear glass writable surface, hanging greenery, a light colour palette for the interior aesthetic and both reclining and straight nap chairs for the designated nap room.
The 2018 survey also included a portion asking about potential names for the Student Activity Building. Approximately nine per cent of responses suggested keeping the current name. Other names suggested included variations of “Student Activity Building,” such as “McMaster Student Activity Building” or naming the building after a McMaster alum with significant achievements such as Roberta Bondar or Donna Strickland Building.
Other less serious and comical names were suggested, including “MUSC 2.0,” “Marauder’s Nest,” “Chill Zone,” and “MACtivity Student Center.”
No matter the difficulties over the years in gauging student interest, the new SAB and expanded pulse are slated to improve student life and introduce a variety of new services. The building is expected to be completed sometime between 2020 and 2021.
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A response to the "Taking the Pulse of campus projects" editorial from the Sept. 21 issue.
By: Shaarujaa Nadarajah
From being an SRA member to being on the Board of Directors, I have always tried to take criticism with grace. I am a strong believer in the notion that there are always ways we can improve as a community and the day I choose to reject feedback was the day I fail as a representative member. However, in my time as a representative, I have also recognized the value of using my voice to share perspective — maybe a perspective someone hadn’t considered and one that is integral to conversations we were having.
As a member of the 2016-2017 board, I can answer the first question posed in the editorial. I’ve held a Pulse membership for the last four years and am a frequent user of the facility. In my time as a Pulse user, one thing that was blatantly apparent was that the Pulse was overcrowded. But I wasn’t the only student that recognized this need as countless surveys sent out in the years before my term indicated that students wanted to see improvements being made to their athletic and recreation space.
Years of on the ground feedback collected by boards before us set the foundation for a space referendum to be sent to students where they directly got to vote on fee increases and whether this was a project they wanted the MSU to invest time and resources into. I guess the “true vanity” in this project came when the referendum failed by 10 votes the first time and how we had to go knocking on every administers’ door day after day begging the university to invest money into this project because that is what students asked us to do.
Construction takes time and expansions can’t happen overnight, however. The athletics department discussed in length the measures they would take to address the increased traffic they foresaw happening by planning to open up a pop up Pulse for students by end of October and by extending gym hours.
I will admit having an overcrowded gym is an inconvenience, but alternatively, I would gladly wait five more minutes for an elliptical if it means hundreds more students were taking advantage of their membership. I am willing to endure the short term pains to ensure the long term gains of working to build a healthier campus together. Are you?
But an overcrowded Pulse was just a small moot point in the greater systemic problem the writer was examining that was calling to question whether board members should work on long term projects. Making reference to Teddy’s failed Perspectives on Peace initiative and Ehima’s gender neutral bathrooms, the article does a good job of highlighting that one year is, in fact, a short time frame to work on some student projects.
However, what the article failed to recognize is the follow through these projects had years beyond these Presidents’ terms in office. After Teddy’s term, he went to work for Patrick Deane where he began the Model UN Conference, which was founded on the same principles as Perspectives on Peace and now continues to run as a yearly conference. As for gender neutral bathrooms, sustainability of projects are just as important to consider with the MSU’s yearly turnover and the gender neutral project is a true representation on how the MSU continued to work with the Equity and Inclusion Office to carry this project between multiple board terms because it remained a priority for students. In fact, I doubt many students even associate gender neutral bathrooms with Ehima any longer.
In order to leave a legacy, people need to remember you actually worked on the project. Using the expansion as an example, I hardly think three years from now students will even remember what board was responsible for initiating this project. All that will be seen is the hundreds of students who no longer have to eat their lunch on their ground or the religious faith groups on campus who will finally have a prayer space. The reality is we don’t do these projects for the vanity. We don’t spend over 60 hours a week working on these projects because we want the recognition. We do it because we care about students.
Students critique board members of coming short in making large-scale changes for them during their one year terms. However, when they attempt to take on large projects, they are critiqued for their lack of forethought in picking projects they can complete in their term. So, what I have come to realize is that whatever you do, you will always be faced with criticism. And that is okay because that is part of the challenge that comes with representing such a diverse population of 22,000 students here at McMaster.
So, I guess I will end it off here and bid you all farewell until the next 600 word article is written about us.
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On Wednesday, Sept. 7, the Pulse was closed at 7:30 p.m. due to humidity concerns and water pooling on the floor, according to the official McMaster Pulse Twitter.
According to Debbie Marinoff, the Manager of Recreational Services, “We shut down the Pulse for safety reasons due to condensation that developed on floors, walls and equipment. A number of factors contributed to the condensation - the extreme humidity and heat, high participant volume as well as the university following a ‘Chasing the Peak Initiative’ which resulted in the air conditioning and circulation being shut down for several hours.”
McMaster participates in a consumption reduction campaign called the McMaster Chasing the Peak Initiative, where Facility Services reduces consumption during the peak hours of noon to 8 p.m. Ventilation is shut off in most buildings on campus, and the temperature of those buildings rely on the occupant load. A few buildings on campus are unaffected by this initiative, such as MDCL, the Nuclear Research Building, and the Life Sciences Building.
This initiative does not interfere with studies that require a certain climate and should have no effect on research of this kind. While inconvenient, this initiative was incredibly successful last year, when it both saved enough electricity demand of 6,080 homes and saved McMaster $2.5 million.
As of this morning, the Pulse has returned to its normal fall semester hours.
