No gym in UCD

errlloyd

WeeBushy wrote: »

The pool is immense, however, and the whole building is really really nice, but I was a bit underwhelmed by the contents of gym.

Yeah the Gym and debate chamber are both pretty disappointing. The rest of the building is sweet. I dunno how much time you spent in the jacuzzi area, but i cant work out how they ever economically justified the small mountain of crushed ice, the scented showers and the two seat jacuzzi.

WeeBushy

errlloyd wrote: »

Yeah the Gym and debate chamber are both pretty disappointing. The rest of the building is sweet. I dunno how much time you spent in the jacuzzi area, but i cant work out how they ever economically justified the small mountain of crushed ice, the scented showers and the two seat jacuzzi.

Didn't check out the jacuzzi. They should have forgone the crushed ice and bought some feckin clips for the olympic bars in the gym, they have none!

I asked one of the guys who works there what the story was and he said the order hadn't come in yet. But its a bit ridiculous, head down to Elvery's and pick up a set for a tenner - its stupid/dangerous not having any.

But I don't want to be completely negative, it's a very cool building.

mloc

I'm off to have a look now!

RMD

The gym is good but for a university of 24,000 students who have free access it is far too small. 2 racks and a fairly small selection of weights just doesn't cut it for a university of that size. I head to college early each morning (usually there by 8.30) so I'd assume it's quiet then but for those who plan to go during the day and want to use free weights, they could find themselves waiting quite a while.

Also the lack of clips is ridiculous albeit short term I'd assume. All it takes is someone to lift to heavy, lose their control of the bar and off goes a plate or 2. Serious injury potential which could be rectified as said by a quick trip to Elverys. The building as a whole though is seriously impressive.

LifesaverNiall

Id say itll be the opposite.. I can see it being fairly busy in the morning.. i plan on getting up early and heading to the gym and for a swim before lectures anyway..

errlloyd

LifesaverNiall wrote: »

Id say itll be the opposite.. I can see it being fairly busy in the morning.. i plan on getting up early and heading to the gym and for a swim before lectures anyway..

Yeah, i can see myself heading in for 8am so I get parking for the day, then using the gym between then and my lectures.

WeeBushy

Had clips for the bars this morning. Happy days.

[Jackass]

I reckon I'd be using it in the evenings, hopefully a quiter time of day, after lectures and hopefully many people gone on the piss. Looking forward to seeing it.

bnt

If I have one complaint so far, it's that there's almost no space for weights and general exercises such as stretching. A lot of machines, but the machines are fancy. Bring a USB key with some music, plug it and some headphones in to the machine: you can play the music on the machine while getting audio alerts through the headphones. You can also save your workout data to the key afterwards and upload it to LifeFitness to track it.

RMD

[Jackass] wrote: »

I reckon I'd be using it in the evenings, hopefully a quiter time of day, after lectures and hopefully many people gone on the piss. Looking forward to seeing it.

Students can't use the gym between 6.15PM and 8.15PM due to it being peak time.

LifesaverNiall

bnt wrote: »

You can also save your workout data to the key afterwards and upload it to LifeFitness to track it.

Thats kinda cool.. might be a bit of a hassle though if youre waiting for a machine and someones there not using it but saving their data or doing something else..

mloc

RMD wrote: »

Students can't use the gym between 6.15PM and 8.15PM due to it being peak time.

This is madness, especially for postgraduate research students like myself who are generally working/studying until after 6pm.

stop

mloc wrote: »

This is madness, especially for postgraduate research students like myself who are generally working/studying until after 6pm.

Yeah but for the place to be viable they need to attract full fee paying members who are paying €800.

Mardy Bum

stop wrote: »

Yeah but for the place to be viable they need to attract full fee paying members who are paying €800.

Its actually just another way to shaft students and make a tiny bit of money relatively compared with the amount 22000 students will pay. UCD is run on margins and students are but a second thought. How many people will be arsed paying an extortionate amount for a gym that they are aware 22000 people are members of? I can't see UCD attracting many outside members.

LifesaverNiall

Mardy Bum wrote: »

I can't see UCD attracting many outside members.

Which will be good.. they might cut that down to only an hour when they realise the place is just empty then.. theyll be a bit more lenient towards people who try to chance their arm aswell if the place is empty..

WeeBushy

Mardy Bum wrote: »

Its actually just another way to shaft students and make a tiny bit of money relatively compared with the amount 22000 students will pay. UCD is run on margins and students are but a second thought. How many people will be arsed paying an extortionate amount for a gym that they are aware 22000 people are members of? I can't see UCD attracting many outside members.

Students aren't really being shafted, they get access to a fantastic facility for €150 (€250 with the pool). You won't find value like that anywhere else. And to have a couple of hours concession so that they can fund the place it quite reasonable imo.

The money they get in from private members will be very significant. It will add up to almost a million a year.

Mardy Bum

WeeBushy wrote: »

Students aren't really being shafted, they get access to a fantastic facility for €150 (€250 with the pool). You won't find value like that anywhere else. And to have a couple of hours concession so that they can fund the place it quite reasonable imo.

The money they get in from private members will be very significant. It will add up to almost a million a year.

Of course you won't find better value anywhere else because it has been paid for by students for the past eight or nine years, the large majority of which will gain no value from its existence. If the case was otherwise I could understand a higher price and need for extra custom.

Chucky the tree

WeeBushy wrote: »

Students aren't really being shafted, they get access to a fantastic facility for €150 (€250 with the pool). You won't find value like that anywhere else. And to have a couple of hours concession so that they can fund the place it quite reasonable imo.

The money they get in from private members will be very significant. It will add up to almost a million a year.

lol, it's gone up €150 already? What a joke.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056662759

LifesaverNiall

I think the €150 is our reg fee and then the extra €100 for the pool bringing the total to €250...
yes?

errlloyd

Chucky the tree wrote: »

WeeBushy wrote: »

Students aren't really being shafted, they get access to a fantastic facility for €150 (€250 with the pool). You won't find value like that anywhere else. And to have a couple of hours concession so that they can fund the place it quite reasonable imo.

The money they get in from private members will be very significant. It will add up to almost a million a year.

lol, it's gone up €150 already? What a joke.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056662759

Hold on, nothing is 150. The levy has increased to 188, its not optional. The pool membership is still 100.

Lads the place is wonderful. Were gonna have a cinema showing normal films 6 wks after release for like 2e. Gonna have an unreal, and i mean unreal theatre and we have one of three olympic pools in Ireland.

Ive been in 7am the last two mornings and there are either lots of paying staff, or lots of private members, cause it aint students.

WeeBushy

Mardy Bum wrote: »

Of course you won't find better value anywhere else because it has been paid for by students for the past eight or nine years, the large majority of which will gain no value from its existence. If the case was otherwise I could understand a higher price and need for extra custom.

Students at the time had a referendum and chose to pay the student contribution fee.

Chucky the tree

Ah right. Still be alot better if they scraped the levy and gave people a choice to sign up to it.

WeeBushy

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Ah right. Still be alot better if they scraped the levy and gave people a choice to sign up to it.

If that was the case then it would have to cost a lot more for those who do join, and people would complain about not being able to afford it.

errlloyd

Its not a gym levy, its a building levy.

Your use of everything.

Pharmacy
Shop
Theatre
Cinema
Debate Chamber
Dance Studio
Pillates Studio
24 hour study room
Belfield FM studio
Major Society offices
Gym
Pool
Cafe
Meeting Rooms
Forum Bar (Likely our only bar on campus)
Newspapers

All of that is included in the Levy, because of all that **** is in the new building. If you're gonna be a hardcore academic, you'll get 200 worth out of the 24 hour study zone alone, but to be honest there is something for everyone in there, and I am incredibly proud of it. I was showing it off to trinity mates today and they were jealous.

The building is incredible, I am so disappointed I only have a year left to enjoy it.

Chucky the tree

that list is pretty terrible tbh.

WeeBushy wrote: »

If that was the case then it would have to cost a lot more for those who do join, and people would complain about not being able to afford it.

It would be far better than expecting people who aren't interested in using it to pay for it. It's a great little earner for UCD though so I wouldn't expect them to stop it.

errlloyd

Chucky the tree wrote: »

that list is pretty terrible tbh.

Gwan them, what do you want. What's not there?

Are you telling me that in average year you won't find a decent use of one of those things?

Like presumably you never exercise, never study past 12, never go to the cinema, never drink alcohol, never have use of a pharmacy on campus.

I take it you're not involved in society life, or any college media?

You've never been to a debate, or a guest brought in by one of the societies.

Keeping in mind your levy also pays the upkeep of the current SU centre, I can only presume you have no use for the medical centre either.

And you never do group projects which may require a meeting room?

RMD

Chucky the tree wrote: »

that list is pretty terrible tbh.

What more are you expecting? We've a cinema, gym, decent cafe and decent bar located in a lovely building. All you have to pay for it is 180 euro. I'm delighted with that, any decent gym in Dublin costs more than a 180 generally.

errlloyd

RMD wrote: »

decent bar

Not to slam you here, but you're not giving it credit!

The Forum bar isn't the one you may remember from 18 months ago, 1.5mn has been invested in refurbishing it. The work is ongoing, but it already looks like its going to be an absolutely beautiful space, with a class function room providing for a huge range of social events, from table quizzes, to jamming sessions, to open mic nights. Its really providing more than just a "watering hole"

Chucky the tree

errlloyd wrote: »

Gwan them, what do you want. What's not there?

Are you telling me that in average year you won't find a decent use of one of those things?

Like presumably you never exercise, never study past 12, never go to the cinema, never drink alcohol, never have use of a pharmacy on campus.

I take it you're not involved in society life, or any college media?

You've never been to a debate, or a guest brought in by one of the societies.

Keeping in mind your levy also pays the upkeep of the current SU centre, I can only presume you have no use for the medical centre either.

And you never do group projects which may require a meeting room?

I doubt I'd ever use any of them. The gym possibly, simply because I have been forced into paying for it. But from reports here it seems pretty ****. Most of the stuff I have zero interesting in using, and I'd say many people are the same.

Most people who live in Dublin would study at home past 12 tbh, not something I have any interest in pay €150 for. Also being charged €150 for access to a pub and then being most likely gouged further for pints sums up how poorly run UCD is. SU can't even run a profitable bar on campus. :rolleyes:

Zero use for a pharmacy, plenty of ones outside campus. No interest in debates or theatre. Never used the medical centre either.


There are plenty of rooms free in college for group meetings, you'd want to be pretty dim to not find somewhere.

RMD wrote: »

What more are you expecting? We've a cinema, gym, decent cafe and decent bar located in a lovely building. All you have to pay for it is 180 euro. I'm delighted with that, any decent gym in Dublin costs more than a 180 generally.

I shouldn't be expected to pay for something I won't use. If it's such an amazing service then everyone who uses surely won't complain about having to pay a bit extra for it.

errlloyd

Chucky the tree wrote: »

I shouldn't be expected to pay for something I won't use. If it's such an amazing service then everyone who uses surely won't complain about having to pay a bit extra for it.

Do you do anything on campus other than come in, go to your lectures and go home? I buy all my own books, why should my fees pay for your library? My course only has 12 hours of lectures and no tutorials a week, my lectures are all 100+ students, I am one of the cheapest students from the colleges point of view, why should I pay the same fees as science and med students who require complex labs and huge hours in small groups?

Why not extend this further? I drive, I pay road tax, VRT, fuel duty, and VAT on everything from the cost of the car, to the cost of the petrol. Why the **** should my tax money go to subsidising public transport. Why do I pay for council housing when I don't live in it.

You could answer with "We live in a welfare state" but that answer would be wrong, the answer is because we voted for it. We democractically decided we wanted it.

UCD voted for this Levy, and the students who voted for it knew they would never see it. They paid and got absolutely diddly squat. Stop complaining about it, go in tomorrow, get on the treadmill and start getting the most out of it.