This past fall UW–Madison’s Adapted Fitness program celebrated the grand opening of the spectacular new Conway Adapted Fitness facility.
Located in the Bakke Recreation and Wellbeing Center, the Conway Adapted Fitness facility was made possible by a gift from Virginia “Ginny” (‘78) and Mike (‘78) Conway. Ginny Conway is an alumna of the School of Education, holding degrees in physical education and dance. Mike Conway is also a UW–Madison graduate, with majors in chemical and biological engineering.
“The new Adapted Fitness space is a wonderful facility that is good for the university and Madison-area community,” the Conways said. “This space will both improve the lives of participants from the area, while providing hands-on learning experiences for UW–Madison students interested in working with people with a wide range of capabilities. We felt providing specific support in this area would move the Adapted Fitness program closer to its long-term goals.”
Part of the School of Education’s Department of Kinesiology, the Adapted Fitness program offers health and fitness classes specifically designed to accommodate a diverse population of community members living with permanent and temporary disabilities. This innovative program serves roughly 90 class participants and utilizes more than 250 UW student volunteers each year.
The new Conway facility features upgraded equipment to help the Adapted Fitness program’s class participants achieve their health and fitness goals — including an in-ground treadmill that allows wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility to work on aerobic fitness. The facility also features a ceiling-mounted harness track system to provide support and prevent falls for individuals working on gait and balance.
“From the curvature of the walls, to the spectacular views out to Lake Mendota, to the layout of an open concept classroom space within the gym, to the many accessible and inclusive features, the new Conway Adapted Fitness space far surpasses our former home in the Natatorium,” says Kecia Doyle, director of the Adapted Fitness program.
“This incredible facility is so much more than a gym,” Doyle adds. “It’s an inclusive facility that is inviting and accommodating to individuals with diverse abilities and will tear down barriers to their engaging in fitness and physical activities. It’s also a teaching facility that provides hands-on learning opportunities and life-changing experiences to undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing careers in allied health, fitness and well-being, education, public health, research, and many other fields.”
Aside from its impressive features, the facility provides the Adapted Fitness program a long-term home. Doyle reflects this is, “perhaps most important of all.”
“This place will continue to foster the strong sense of community that has existed within the Adapted Fitness program for 35 years,” she says.