The Richter Recreation Center Yoga Room During COVID-19

The Richter Center is a state-of-the-art fitness and recreation center located in the heart of campus. Located next to the outdoor athletic fields, and a short walk from most residence halls, the Richter Center meets the demands of every self-improver, from the fitness freak to the Apple Watch step counter. As one of the busiest and most popular spots on campus, the Sandra A. and William L. Richter Center, is open to all members of the university community, but is limited to fitness and recreational activities.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, many buildings were being repurposed due to the need to social distance. One example of this was the Richter Center on St. Bonaventure's campus. Space to allow for socially distanced classrooms was a problem with the classroom sizes on campus, so many unorthodox classrooms were created in places like gyms and large areas. This included the Richter Center, where classes were taught in the yoga section of the gym. In a large space like this, students were able to have personal desks with enough distance from each other to stay socially distanced throughout the semester.

Though adding desks to the second floor yoga area limited the accessibility of it for gym users, the classrooms there were a large benefit to students and professors. Overall the utilization of this area gave the University another safe environment learning, without the risk of spreading COVID-19.

ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS & RECREATION, St. Bonaventure University. Accessed December 12th 2021. https://www.sbu.edu/life-at-sbu/student-activities-recreation.