Sask. Polytechnic closes fitness centres, cancels sports

A Saskatchewan Polytechnic engineering student is disappointed with the decision to close the fitness centre at the school’s Saskatoon campus.

Reid Thompson, who’s going into his second year in the power engineering program, told 650 CKOM he went to hit the gym after writing an exam, only to find the facility closed.

“Yeah, the gym’s all locked up. The fitness centres are all locked up, you can’t go in there. They’re all blacked out, you can’t look in. I guess we don’t get to exercise here anymore,” he said.

An email sent to students late last week explained the school had decided to cut its athletics program province-wide. While the fitness centre at the Regina campus was to remain open, all sports programs were terminated and the gyms were closed in Saskatoon, Moose Jaw and Prince Albert.

The email stated the school would replace the programs with a “wellness strategy” to be developed in consultation with students and staff.

Thompson said he was saddened to learn staff had lost their jobs, saying they’d often been a helpful resource during the school year.

“All the staff’s been laid off and there’s no plan, other than I guess a ‘wellness’ plan — whatever that means.”

The school laid off seven employees as a result of the decision. Students were offered prorated refunds on fees related to the cut programs.

Thompson said he wished there was some way the school could keep the gym open.

“We do a lot of studying here. We’re sitting down for up to six hours a day. When you’re doing that you want to be able to go into the gym and work out or play floor hockey or basketball,” he said.