During the summer, the Student Union and Recreation Center (SURC) has undergone several renovations.

The recreation center, which includes the gym, fitness centers, basketball courts and running track, has been updated. Some of the new updates include an expanded weight room, repaired basketball courts with new paint, new hallway and climbing wall flooring as well as new turnstiles at the entrance.

Kevin Hopper, assistant director of recreation, said one of the long-term goals of the changes is to better accommodate students during hours when it is the busiest. Also, he said that students should feel more comfortable with more usable space.

“Currently, we have all the program areas open, so we’re running everything that we normally run,” Hopper said. “The last thing to happen is getting the information set up at the climbing desk; right now we’re bouldering, and the top ropes will be open soon.”

According to Hopper, most of the contracting work should be completed by the end of next week. There will still be minor touch-up work, but students will have free access to the facilities.

“Right now, our biggest goal was to open all the program areas, and we met it,” Hopper said. “Homecoming is our big grand opening and everything will be polished and pretty for the opening on October 13.”

Cherie Wilson, associate director of Student Union Operations, said most of the flooring and construction is complete throughout the SURC, with the flooring on the second floor to be completed in a week.

“What was originally on the floor [in the SURC] was a stained concrete,” Wilson said. “There were a lot of issues with the stained concrete such as stains that pulled up, and there were huge cracks in the concrete.”

The floor was replaced with British Ceramic Tile (BCT) on the first floor, and Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) on the second floor.

“The upstairs flooring is a little bit softer; it is the same stuff you see in Safeway produce,” Wilson said.

Additionally, the flooring was replaced where people eat in the SURC, according to Wilson.

“We decided to use carpet where the tables and chairs are to deaden the sound, and also, the chairs were tearing up the floors,” Wilson said. “It is easier to replace if you need to and less expensive.”

Wilson said the construction is funded through reserve accounts and through student fees that fund the SURC, excluding the bookstore and dining hall.