The Acadia Women, Transgender, and Non-Binary Gym Time program celebrates three weeks of action after Acadia Athletics announced last month that the program would begin on September 11th at the Athletics Complex Fitness Centre. Envisioned and enacted in an effort to ensure a positive and safe experience for women, transgender, and non-binary individuals in the Wolfville community, the program offers six appointment times for community members.
It was the initiative of several Acadia students that inspired the program, including members of the Acadia Students’ Union, Acadia Athletics, the Acadia Women’s Centre, and the Acadia Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Senate Committee, in the hopes it would inspire further use of the Fitness Centre across the community. An idea pitched first by students in an effort to ensure that no individual felt unsafe in using the Fitness Centre, the commencement of the program has meant that every individual in our community now has access to the safest and most welcoming possible fitness area.
Acadia Vice President of Student Life, Georgia Saleski, says the program is a step in a very positive direction. “The ASU is thrilled to be able to provide a safe option for students, faculty, staff, and community members of gender minorities to access the Fitness Centre this fall. We know how important this program is and we hope to see more inclusive initiatives creating change at Acadia over the coming years.”
The Acadia Athletics Complex Fitness Centre is open to the public 7 days a week from 6:30am to 11pm, with a 10pm closing time on Sundays.