While Avans students were enjoying their summer holiday, Breda student sports centre BRESS was buzzing with activity. It underwent extensive refurbishment during this period. The dents in the floor, cramped spaces and ugly façade are now a thing of the past.
Although the official opening is not due until 9 November, sports enthusiasts can already work out to their heart’s content at BRESS. The sports centre reopened its doors on 24 September after undergoing renovation work during the quiet summer period. BRESS Communications Officer Lotte Puts says this refurbishment was much needed: ‘The building’s façade looked a bit dilapidated and the fitness area was outdated, cramped and damaged.’
Radical transformation
So what has changed exactly? The fitness suite and dance studio have been relocated, making the fitness area thrice as big as before. This new layout has allowed BRESS to purchase additional pieces of equipment, such as new spin bikes, a climb mill and heavier weights. Both spaces have also undergone extensive refurbishment, removing the dents in the floor of the new dance studio that were caused by weights dropped on the floor.
But it is the building’s façade that has undergone the most radical transformation. The orange and black cladding has made the BRESS building something of an eye-catcher. Lotte is very excited about the result: ‘The centre now looks much more welcoming from the outside. Before the renovation work, it wasn’t attractive at all.’
Unchanged
The BRESS sports hall, which Avans regularly uses for exams, has remained unchanged, however. BRESS Sports Coordinator Peter van Lubeek explains this decision: ‘We didn’t need to refurbish it because it’s the region’s only sports hall that is certified by the Netherlands Olympic Committee * Netherlands Sports Confederations NOC*NSF. As this sports hall is fully equipped and no other halls in the area meet all of NOC*NSF’s requirements, we saw no reason to make improvements.’
Double Mega Rack
BRESS staff are very excited about 2 new pieces of equipment that have yet to arrive. ‘The “Double Mega Rack” is set to be delivered at the end of September. It’s a huge fitness station that allows multiple people to do weight-lifting exercises in various places. We’ll also install a “Matrix Connexus” mid-October. This unit offers a number of attachment points for boxing bags and TRX straps and can also be used for ball exercises,’ Peter continues.
More professional
Members are very positive about the all new and revamped BRESS. ‘It’s not just the people who have witnessed the transformation that are impressed. It’s the newcomers too. Many members told us that before the refurbishment, they were planning to cancel their membership, but have now opted to stay for at least another year because of what we can now offer them,’ Lotte says.
When asked about the revamp, one International Business and Management Studies student told he was thrilled with the result. ‘It’s definitely an improvement. The new set-up is more spacious plus there are more weights and fitness stations. I’m particularly pleased with the new, heavier weights.’ Members also noted that the all-new BRESS is more efficient and that the renovation has given it the look and feel of a professional gym.
The refurbishment has not stopped BRESS from reducing its annual membership fees. Avans students and staff can now enjoy unlimited use of all BRESS facilities for only EUR 99.
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