The construction all over campus has changed traffic patterns, sidewalk accessibility and more, but has it affected how many people are going to the Student Recreation and Wellness Center (SRWC)?

In the weeks before construction started, the SRWC usage started off at over 6,000 people in the first week. But it then leveled out to around 5,000 people for weeks two, three, four and five.

Construction on Algoma Boulevard and Pearl Avenue went underway during week six of the semester, and the number of people using the SRWC has stayed consistent at just over 5,000 people.

Week seven, the week before spring break and midterms, saw a 20% drop in attendance with just over 4,000 going to the gym.

“This is normal, as far as trends go,” said SRWC Associate Director Tony Dirth. “We start off the semester busy, level off and [then] see a drop as people head out for spring break.”

Despite the actual numbers being consistent with past years, Dirth said the SRWC have heard from students that it is more difficult to get to the SRWC.

“It’s such an inconvenience,” senior Keegan Lafferty said. “It’s not the end of the world and I’m still going to go, but it’s enough to really throw a wrench in my day.”

Junior Amy Keyzer said the construction is more of an annoyance than anything.

“The construction hasn’t really affected how much I go, but it’s just annoying having to walk through all of the mud and commotion,” she said.

Additionally, Dirth also said that the SRWC heard of some issues from the UW Oshkosh Police Department.

“We’ve heard from UWO PD that a lot of the signs directing people where they should be going were being ignored,” Dirth said. “[The] parking [department] opened more metered parking in the Culver Family lot, which helped, and as of late we’ve not noticed issues.”

Inside the gym, they’ve also seen some operational issues stemming from the new paths people must take to get to the SRWC doors.

“We noticed [the] amount of mud being tracked into our building due to the construction,” Dirth said. “We’ve had to re-emphasize one of our policies: bringing a second pair of shoes.”

The SRWC has already seen an improvement in the number of students who bring a second pair of shoes, which helps with keeping the SRWC clean.

“It was pretty annoying when the construction first started with the amount of mud that was all over the floors and treadmills,” senior Erica Perez-Montez said. “But for the most part, it seems much cleaner now, and I see more people changing their shoes when they’re getting ready to work out.”

The SRWC is open Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.