On Feb. 9, Fort McCoy held a ribbon cutting for a new Unit Physical Training (PT) Fitness Facility, located in building 1395 at the Track and Field Site.
The new building will increase Fort McCoy’s ability to meet both its permanent and visiting populations’ fitness needs, said Director Patric McGuane of the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (DFMWR)
“Fort McCoy has managed to provide essential fitness services to the community for years with our single fitness facility, but during our peak training seasons, our capacity and capability needs are simply not met with one facility,” McGuane said. “By adding this additional fitness facility, DFMWR’s ability to meet the demand for fitness space has now greatly increased.”
An additional incentive for finishing the additional facility is the upcoming renovation of Rumpel Fitness Center. While the fitness center is being remodeled, building 1395 will house much of the existing center’s equipment and provide gym and recreation space. McGuane said that project is anticipated to begin in September and last approximately one year.
“This project has been a few years in development, and our incredible DPW deserves a special thanks for their commitment to making this happen,” McGuane said. “The annex is currently serving as an important tool for military units to conduct group PT sessions, but in the coming months, it will increase dramatically in importance as it will temporarily serve as the only fitness facility on Fort McCoy while our Rumpel Fitness Center undergoes a major renovation project.
“Though the new annex is not as large a facility, with the exception of swimming and the basketball court, it will allow us to continue to offer services uninterrupted during construction,” he said. “Our DFMWR fitness team, led by Robin Paoletti, is working a new equipment procurement plan to maximize fitness options in the annex during construction and to another plan to expand outdoor fitness training options while Rumpel is being renovated.”
Until then, building 1395 will function as an additional space for units to conduct physical training, said Karla Rynes, acting business recreation chief for DFMWR.
“The renovation process will diminish our services briefly while we operate out of one smaller facility for about a year, but in the end Fort McCoy will end up with a newly renovated and equipped Rumpel Fitness Center and a fully equipped fitness annex that will expand the fitness options available to our community,” McGuane said.
Currently, building 1395 contains some equipment, including treadmills and stationary bikes, as well as indoor space and exercise mats for stretching and other physical activities.
Building 1395 is located in the same space as the field and track site but belongs to DFMWR and should be checked out through Rumpel Fitness Center, Rynes said. It is meant to be used for physical training. It does not have the equipment required for the Army Combat Fitness Test.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on the Defense Visual Information Distribution System at https://www.dvidshub.net/fmpao, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”
Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base.
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