Rosburg Fitness Center continues to see facility improvements

  • Published
  • By Kate Blais
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  From Monday to Friday each week, 1,100 to 1,200 people pass through the doors of the Rosburg Fitness Center. Some weight train, some work on their cardiovascular health and some use the basketball and racquetball courts. Whatever their need, members of Team Edwards have plenty of options to stay "Fit to Fight."

Pete Smith, 95th Force Support Squadron Edwards Fitness and Sports Center director, has a good idea of what his customers want.

"Everyone knows we need a new fitness center," Smith said. "We have the oldest fitness center in the active duty inventory and we're number one for a new one.

"But as we all know, with the financial issues that we have in the government right now, they can't guarantee when we're going to get a new fitness center. So we've been given project monies to enhance our quality of life until we can get a new fitness center," he said.

In the past two years, the Fitness and Sports Center has received $7 million from the Office of the Secretary of Defense for projects aimed at improving quality of life.

Edwards has benefitted from several construction projects this summer and fall and additional projects are on the way, all with the intent of enhancing quality of life for the Edwards community.

Past projects have included installing new front doors in the Rosburg Fitness Center, resurfacing the track and refurbishing the indoor basketball and racquetball courts. Additional construction projects have been aimed specifically at training for the Airmen's physical fitness test.

"We're doing all this to enhance the military PT program," said Mr. Smith. Before the construction projects the airmen could run, work out on cardiovascular machines or lift weights. The latest improvements will give Airmen many more options to stay fit.

A 13-station par course has been added at intervals along the running trail to add a variety of physical elements to a cardiovascular workout. Stations include pull-ups, a 10-foot climbing wall, tires to maneuver through, uneven bars, a sit-up station and a heart-rate station.

Additional improvements to existing workout areas include:
  • Replacing the current lighting around the track to accommodate those interested in running at night - runners will be able to turn the lights on and off themselves;
  • A new PT pad has been installed near the track to match the layout of the existing PT area;
  • The running trail will be extended up to the main Base Housing Office on the corner of Forbes and Payne avenues; and,
  • The softball field behind the gym has been completely renovated.
Also newly installed is an acrylic roller hockey rink in the area behind the Joshua Tree Dining Facility and the dormitories. The rink accompanies two existing sand volleyball courts and an outdoor basketball court.

"Since we deal with the sports and fitness programs, we kind of know what our customers are looking for," said Mr. Smith. "One of the things we hear from organizations, like the Airmen's Council, is that there's nothing for them to do [on base]. We know that they like to play sand volleyball and outdoor basketball on their time off. So we thought why not combine them and make a sports complex for the folks in the dorms. That gives them three venues in one area."

Additional projects that will be completed in the coming months are the complete revamping of the heating and cooling systems in the gym, and the addition of an separate structure near the gym that will house weightlifting equipment and a high intensity workout area.

"We are doing so many big things right now," said Thomas Guy, 95th FSS facility manager at the Rosburg Fitness Center. "I've been here for 10 years and I've not seen this much construction and this much improvement at one single time like I do now."