On Nov. 1, Seattle Central’s Charles H. Mitchell Activity Center (MAC) reopened for in-person services on a limited reservation basis for the first time since the pandemic halted operations last year. The MAC will now provide numerous amenities in addition to its virtual offerings such as a weight room, cardio room, game room, and gyms.
The center is open to SCC students, staff, and faculty on the weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Prior to each day of operation, at 5 p.m., 50-minute reservations can be made on the MAC’s Canvas page.
Students must fill out a waiver form before accessing available reservations. Each available space notes the limit of people. The game room will not require reservations but will be limited to 16 people. Face masks will be required to be worn at all times, even during exercise.
“We’re hoping to reestablish that we’re open and that we are your place to come to campus,” says Jared Blitz, Director of the MAC. “One, that’s safe, and two, that’s fun. We are your fun away from studies, and you pay for us, so use us.”
Typically, all of the center’s part-time staff employees are students. The activity center is a student-oriented facility and currently hiring up to 8-12 positions. Interested students can contact Blitz directly. Because student fees fund the center, he says the money goes back into student pockets.
Blitz hopes to resume normal operations this upcoming January. He cites better heart rate, blood control pressure, and rest as major benefits of exercise.
“The more activity you can get in a day, the better your health is going to be physically and mentally,” Blitz told the Collegian of what reopening means for Central community members. “The mind and body are connected, but they also develop separate benefits.”
The activity center is available for rentals to student clubs or sports after its hours of operation. Most recently, SCC Student Leadership hosted a Halloween party using the space.
In-person reservations have multiple zero-tolerance policies, such as the requirement to provide a school-issued ID and loss of MAC privileges for a week for no-shows. Locker rooms are currently closed due to ongoing repair.
More information about the Mitchell Activity Center’s reopening, policies, and procedures can be found upon enrolling on its Canvas page.
Author
Alexa is an avid journalist seeking an A.A. with an emphasis on Global Studies at Seattle Central College. She's interested in pursuing investigative journalism to report on social struggles like immigration, civil rights, and access to education in South and North America. She is currently working to cover budget cut reforms at Central and civil rights movements in Seattle. Alexa is also a Youth Council Member at OneAmerica, advocating for greater access to quality education for immigrants and refugees in WA. She is a first-generation American who has travelled to 13 countries to explore world cultures and politics.
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