By Laura Cichostepski ’09, MPA ’11
August 19, 2026
Campus leaders, students, and Baxter the Bearcat will break through a ceremonial finish-line tape on the new indoor track on Wednesday, Aug. 19, to officially open the 75,000-square-foot expansion at the East Gym, Recreation Center.
From the day it opened, the East Gym was built to play. As the very first building constructed on the Vestal campus in September 1958, it was designed to support student success beyond the classroom by providing a dedicated space for recreation. Nearly seven decades later, that purpose hasn’t changed, but the scale of student recreation certainly has. Open-play basketball alone accounts for more than 66,300 visits throughout the year, which is more than double the traffic seen 20 years ago
“Hundreds of students walk through the East Gym every day, and as our campus community has grown, they’ve been asking for a space like this,” said Tom St. John, director of Campus Recreation. “This expansion is a direct investment in student well-being and the future of our programs. It’s a great time to be a Bearcat.”
The expansion increases fitness space by 40% and features all-new strength training equipment. Alongside the three-lane, 200-meter indoor track, the project adds three hardwood courts for basketball and volleyball. Beyond open recreation, four multipurpose rooms will host group fitness classes, club sport practices, staff training, internships, and certification programs.
“There will be more space and equipment for my workouts, which means less time waiting around for a machine,” said Carter White, a junior studying computer science. “Being able to get a solid workout in helps me decompress and stay focused on my studies. The new indoor track will also be great during the winter for someone like me who prefers it over a treadmill. I’m really excited for all the new opportunities this will open up for students.”
The new space gives Campus Recreation room to do even more of what it does best: help students stay active, balanced, and connected during a busy semester. On any given day, students go to the East Gym to work out in FitSpace, play intramural sports, practice with a club team, head out on outdoor trips, or even get a massage. Plus, a swipe of a student ID covers open recreation, making it easy for students to swim or play basketball, badminton, and volleyball. Outside, students can train on the outdoor fitness court, play tennis, or enjoy a round of disc golf.
Visit Campus Recreation online to learn more about its program offerings
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