Gym to open in Oklahoma Capitol basement
BY BARBARA HOBEROCK World Capitol Bureau
Sunday, December 23, 2012
12/23/12 at 5:38 AM
OKLAHOMA CITY - In February, a gym will be opened in the basement of the Capitol.
The 1,800-square-foot facility is going into space vacated by the Clerk of the Appellate Courts. The office moved to the new Judicial Center, opening up space for the gym and creating more storage space for the Legislature.
For years, the area housed court files, many of which were decades old.
"The area had not received any update in quite a long time," said John Estus, public affairs director for the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. "It will be neat to see it transformed into something that is used by a lot of people."
Many of the details governing hours, access and usage are still being worked out, Estus said.
Gov. Mary Fallin in her State-of-the-State address to lawmakers in February said she was closing the Capitol smoking room and turning it into a gym, but the room was too small, so a new location was chosen.
Fallin also issued an order banning tobacco on state property.
"The leading causes for poor health in Oklahoma are largely preventable illnesses like diabetes and heart disease linked to obesity," Fallin said. "By providing a fitness facility for Capitol employees and staff, we're setting an example for the rest of the state as we work to improve our physical fitness."
Officials obtained $38,000 from the Oklahoma tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust and $20,000 in matching dollars from a donor, Estus said.
Equipment was donated and purchased, he said.
"We found out after the donation that it was not enough equipment, so we are supplementing the equipment," said John Morrison, administrator of the division of Capital Assets Management.
The facility will have four treadmills, two bikes, three elliptical machines, one glide training system and other items, Morrison said.
The facility will also have locker rooms with showers, Morrison said.
Original Print Headline: Vacant space in basement of Capitol to be used for gym
Barbara Hoberock 405-528-2465
barbara.hoberock@tulsaworld.com
