Self-powered gym to open in new sports dome

Artist impression of how the new self-powered gym will look.

Plans for a major new training facility at Aberystwyth University are at an advanced stage following the installation of a new sports dome on Penglais Campus.

Located next to the Sports Centre’s multi-purpose sports pitch, the 40 meters by 23 meters dome will be kitted out by new self-charging exercise stations and is set to open in December 2023.

With screens to provide all the necessary exercise data, the new bikes, rowing machines and treadmills will run on the energy provided by users rather than being plugged into the mains electricity supply.

Provided by Matrix Fitness, the new equipment, which is currently located in the Sports Centre’s Sports Hall, is partly funded by a £250k grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.

The move to the sports dome will double the number of stations available from 65 to 130.

The work is part of an upgrade programme that will eventually see all the equipment being self-powered.

The new dome features an opaque double skin to prevent it from overheating on bright sunny days and losing too much heat in cold weather to reduce its energy usage.

Darren Hathaway, Head of Sport and Grounds at Aberystwyth University said:  “We take great pride in the facilities we have here at the University’s Sports Centre which are open to students, staff and the local community.

“We continually strive to invest in our facilities and, where possible, to innovate when upgrading our equipment. Our new self-powered kit is another small step towards limiting our carbon footprint as the University works towards becoming a net-zero estate by 2030. We also hope that everyone using the new kit will feel just that little bit better in the knowledge that they are benefitting health, mind and the environment.”

The move will see the Sports Hall revert to recreation use and team sports such as netball and basketball, and the Sports Centre’s extensive ‘Fit-together’ group exercise programme.

The Aberystwyth University Sports Centre is open to students, staff and members of the public. Details of membership fees and the facilities are available online.

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