Gym incorporated into fees?

Mahns

I know in UCC the gym membership is part of the registation fee, so ya have no choice but to get it, is it the same in NUIG?

CMBT

Definitely not!!
Not sure how much it is but the gym in NUIG is run by Kingfisher. If you type it into google you should get more info.

the-island-man

Mahns wrote: »

I know in UCC the gym membership is part of the registation fee, so ya have no choice but to get it, is it the same in NUIG?

short answer....no
long answer.....yes

It's worse in NUIG, The student's union on behalf of the student body agreed to pay half of the new sports center which the kingfisher runs! So about €220 is added on to our registration every year, they call it the student levy. On top of this we have to pay €250 for membership to kingfisher.
The kingfisher also offer pathetic casual hours for the sports center so there's no practical way a student can pay they go!
To add to this during the day the kingfisher have restricted slots reserved for primary school children to use the pool.
Basically the college and the SU done a **** job of negotiating the lease agreement with Kingfisher

Nooooooooooooooooooo.:cool:

MuireannO

the-island-man wrote: »

short answer....no
long answer.....yes

It's worse in NUIG, The student's union on behalf of the student body agreed to pay half of the new sports center which the kingfisher runs! So about €220 is added on to our registration every year, they call it the student levy. On top of this we have to pay €250 for membership to kingfisher.
The kingfisher also offer pathetic casual hours for the sports center so there's no practical way a student can pay they go!
To add to this during the day the kingfisher have restricted slots reserved for primary school children to use the pool.
Basically the college and the SU done a **** job of negotiating the lease agreement with Kingfisher

Eh, not quite.
The student body voted in a referendum to pay towards the construction of both the SPorts Centre and the Áras na MacLéinn refurbishment. This was agreed in 2003, not by the SU committee but by the students. The amount is actually €100, you are confused with the rest of the levy which goes to clubs, socs, the health unit etc. A lot of SU officers worked very, very hard on this issue, and it definitely would have been a worse deal for students if they hadn't done so.
The membership fee was over a €100 cheaper than any other operators offered, so it's not as bad of a deal as you might think.
The low fee is why there are also public hours and bookings.
There is a lot more info on this issue on the sin boards, or you can email me at su.president@nuigalway.ie for the full, unabridged history

the-island-man

MuireannO wrote: »

Eh, not quite.
The student body voted in a referendum to pay towards the construction of both the SPorts Centre and the Áras na MacLéinn refurbishment. This was agreed in 2003, not by the SU committee but by the students. The amount is actually €100, you are confused with the rest of the levy which goes to clubs, socs, the health unit etc. A lot of SU officers worked very, very hard on this issue, and it definitely would have been a worse deal for students if they hadn't done so.
The membership fee was over a €100 cheaper than any other operators offered, so it's not as bad of a deal as you might think.
The low fee is why there are also public hours and bookings.
There is a lot more info on this issue on the sin boards, or you can email me at su.president@nuigalway.ie for the full, unabridged history

I never said that the student body didn't vote for it! Thats why i said the SU were acting on behalf of the student body!
Fair enough i didn't have my facts correct and mabey i'm being a bit naive asking the this question but would it have been a massive stretch if the SU was to run the sports center? You already run a few outlets in the college namely smokey joes, the students union shop and the college bar.
I think the student body would feel a lot better if they knew a non-profit organisation such as the SU were running it or at least any profit you make would benefit student services!
At the end of the day the kingfisher would not be running it if they weren't making a good margin of profit!

helios12

I'm a student at NUIG and I consider myself priced out of using the place but it came as no surprise. The Book store and the bar are over-priced too:rolleyes:

Laoch'Rione

helios12 wrote: »

I'm a student at NUIG and I consider myself priced out of using the place but it came as no surprise. The Book store and the bar are over-priced too:rolleyes:

I am hoping to start in NUIG in September but looking at the way the gym is ran, I won't be in a position to use it either. It's too expensive.
I thought the idea of having a gym on campus was for the benefit of ALL the students and not just those who could afford it as a luxury. Shame really, but then we should be used to the Rip-Off's at this stage.

Mahns

I'm goin back in september to upskill, currently pay 600 for yearly gym membership.....250 sounds a bargain to be honest!!

EuskalHerria

Mahns wrote: »

I'm goin back in september to upskill, currently pay 600 for yearly gym membership.....250 sounds a bargain to be honest!!

There's no doubt more expensive gyms with a higher membership Fee, but the point surely of a student gym is to offer students a fair deal on membership for the duration of the college year, which doesn't sound like it is.

I was hoping to go to the kingfisher more often this year, but I've heard nothing but complaints from those I know who use it and I would rather just go elsewhere and pay as I use.

christina_x

wait wait wiat.. im confused... is the gym paid for out of our fees or do we pay the extra 200/250 (i forget) ourselves?

subnation

Think this fee is included in the student levy - not extra!

Mahns

no no think you pay 250 yourself to get membership, another 100 out of your fees goes towards kingfisher. open to correction on this!

subnation

:eek: What a rip off!! Compared to UL where its included in fee n' da gym is the mutts nutts

subnation

or maybe it's not - can't remember

Tzetze

Like Muireann already said, the 100 that students voted to add to the levy goes towards the construction costs of the new gym and towards renovation costs of Áras na macLéinn.

The whole topic was thrashed out around this time last year over on the Sin Boards

christina_x

subnation wrote: »

or maybe it's not - can't remember

I hope not.. my sister is obsessed with fitness ect (even bought herself a treadmill) but will not be able to afford this... and im damned if im living with her when she hasnt exercised...moody isnt the word

Laoch'Rione

Mahns wrote: »

I'm goin back in september to upskill, currently pay 600 for yearly gym membership.....250 sounds a bargain to be honest!!

Yes, but you're not a single parent obviously, nor are you a young student financially dependent on parents, so you can afford it, go ahead and enjoy it, as I said its a luxury only available to a few - and that few includes you.

xxcocochanelxx

Is there a pay as you go service for students? This college is susch a rip off in so many ways!:mad:

the-island-man

xxcocochanelxx wrote: »

Is there a pay as you go service for students? This college is susch a rip off in so many ways!:mad:

Yes, pay as you go hours are restricted to 7am-9am, 2pm-4pm and 8:30pm-9:30pm monday to friday and then on weekends its 9am-10am and 2pm-4pm.

Its €7:50 if you want to go to both the gym and the swimming pool and its €5 if you want to go for either a gym or a swim but not both. These prices are only for students by the way, For non students it €12 for both gym and swimming pool access and €8 for one of them!

For all the prices and times and the pool timetable go here:
http://www.kingfisherclub.com/timetable_nuigalway.html

I think its a joke that students get restricted pay as you go hours. its purely to coerce students into getting full membership even if they don't use it enough for it to make financial sense!:mad:

gary82

Is it incorporated into the fees or do we pay ourselves? Well.... both! It's a joke.

I'd like to add another point that really annoyed me. I was using the pool 2 or three times a week for a while, paying per use. Using it once a week is enough to make financial sense to pay membership. I just didn't have the lump payment for the membership cost. Then I saw on their website that they accept a monthly direct debit payment of the fee.

Went in with my details to setup direct debit. Was told I couldn't do this with the student Fee... and that I'd have to pay the full adult fee. And this is our college gym?????? :mad::mad:

I now swim in the sea. 'Tis gonna get cold come November.... then will come the task of getting an appointment with the health unit. :rolleyes: :mad:

leeroybrown

Mahns wrote: »

no no think you pay 250 yourself to get membership, another 100 out of your fees goes towards Kingfisher. open to correction on this!

That's only partially correct. Any student who chooses to join the gym pays €250 membership. The €100 from the levy goes to the University to cover the additional capital costs involved in the sports centre project, including the costs of redeveloping Áras Na Mac Léinn. This €100 effectively takes the form of matching capital for a donation received by the University.

KevR

Laoch'Rione wrote: »

I am hoping to start in NUIG in September but looking at the way the gym is ran, I won't be in a position to use it either. It's too expensive.
I thought the idea of having a gym on campus was for the benefit of ALL the students and not just those who could afford it as a luxury. Shame really, but then we should be used to the Rip-Off's at this stage.

I am a member of the gym. It's quite packed as it is (with just those who can afford it and it currently being during the summer!!!), I don't think it would be worth going near the place if all students could use it.

I wouldn't bother with the college gym or pool if it was available to everyone, it'd be a waste of time. So I'd end up having to go elsewhere and pay approx €600.

Saying that I think some other things in the college are a huge rip-off (*cough* Autumn repeat exam fee is €200 while it's only €35 in GMIT *cough*)

Mahns wrote: »

I'm goin back in september to upskill, currently pay 600 for yearly gym membership.....250 sounds a bargain to be honest!!

That's the way I look at it - €250 is a brilliant price for the gym and pool for the year. Most people I talk to who aren't students and are members of other gyms think we're getting an amazing deal.

helios12

KevR wrote: »

I am a member of the gym. It's quite packed as it is (with just those who can afford it and it currently being during the summer!!!), I don't think it would be worth going near the place if all students could use it.

I wouldn't bother with the college gym or pool if it was available to everyone, it'd be a waste of time. So I'd end up having to go elsewhere and pay approx €600.

Lecture halls get a bit crowded too old chum. Perhaps if we put some sort of 'screening' fee on the door, there might be more leg room for us country club types.

KevR

helios12 wrote: »

Lecture halls get a bit crowded too old chum. Perhaps if we put some sort of 'screening' fee on the door, there might be more leg room for us country club types.

Going to lectures to learn is the whole point of college and we pay fees and tax to fund the lectures.

Going to the gym while in college is not a necessity, it is a luxury. I had to save to join the gym, the membership just didn't fall into my lap. Amongst other things, I sacrificed a good few nights out to help save the money for it. My friends who went out when I stayed in would like to join the gym too but, shock horror, they can't afford it.

I'm sure there are some rich people in the gym who wipe their arse with €250 and didn't have to save or sacrifice anything to become a member but I had to make sacrifices.

I'm not saying it's the case for anyone on here, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of the people moaning that they can't afford and think they should get in for free could afford it if they really wanted to (i.e - make sacrifices elsewhere). Can't have the best of every world I'm afraid.

the-island-man

KevR wrote: »

I'm not saying it's the case for anyone on here, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of the people moaning that they can't afford and think they should get in for free could afford it if they really wanted to (i.e - make sacrifices elsewhere). Can't have the best of every world I'm afraid.

I think your missing the whole point! I'm one of the ones on here thats "moaning" and can afford it! I could afford it last year but the first time i was ever in the building was last week!

The points i have been trying to make is that 1) we shouldn't have to pay as much as €250 euro seen as we are paying for half the price of the building 2) facilities we paid 50% for certainly shouldn't be given over to school kids to use during the day and 3) the kingfisher shouldn't be trying to coerce students into getting membership instead of pay as you by restricting student pay as you go hours.

The last point is my biggest gripe, its complete bull****

gary82

the-island-man wrote: »

<snip>
3) the kingfisher shouldn't be trying to coerce students into getting membership instead of pay as you by restricting student pay as you go hours.

Yeah and they should offer the 12month direct debit payment option to students too, not just outside professionals! :mad: They'll get their membership fee by the end of the year anyway.

PAYG hours are a joke alright

KevR

I do agree that they shouldn't restrict student pay as you go hours and they should offer 12 month student direct debit. It's not fair to force people into paying lump sum.

But I think that given that we paid for half of the building, €250 is a good price considering you could pay up to €600 elsewhere. We're getting more than half off the typical cost of a gym + pool membership in exchange for having paid half the cost of the building. That's the way I see it anyway, fair enough if others disagree.

PS - agree about the school kids thing also.

gary82

I don't think we should be directly comparing it to other commercial gyms though. This should be our college gym. It should be run by the college, for cheaper. Or run it for the same price and pump the profit that Kingfisher is making back into other free student resources - astro pitches, tennis court etc.

the-island-man

gary82 wrote: »

I don't think we should be directly comparing it to other commercial gyms though. This should be our college gym. It should be run by the college, for cheaper. Or run it for the same price and pump the profit that Kingfisher is making back into other free student resources - astro pitches, tennis court etc.

exactly, why should student money be going towards expanding the profits of a company!

leeroybrown

gary82 wrote: »

I don't think we should be directly comparing it to other commercial gyms though. This should be our college gym. It should be run by the college, for cheaper. Or run it for the same price and pump the profit that Kingfisher is making back into other free student resources - astro pitches, tennis court etc.

There are two problems with this:

1) College would ultimately do a worse (and more expensive) job of running the place with the costs pushed back on students.
2) The fit-out costs for the equipment that Kingfisher owns is probably heading towards €1m. College don't have the money to pay that out so again it would have been pushed back on students.

I'm not the biggest fan of the deal, particularly the number of years that the €100 levy will run for but I also think that it would be a big mess if college were running it themselves.

gary82

I can't accept that the college can't employ skilled people (same level as the current kingfisher staff) and run the place minus the Kingfisher profit margin. The current staff probably couldn't run it but take on qualified people with gym experience.

If Kingfisher can afford to kit out the place, I'm sure the college (who're engaging in a €400million development plan) can manage it.

Cathal Kelly

kinfisher is a private group contracted by the college to run the gym.
they were given a fixed contract 4 years, 3 remaining now
you have 2 pay 250 E for a years membership
for 2nd semester last year they did offer a single piece membership for 60 euro (ie just gym, just pool or just climbing wall) but there is no internal checking 1ce ur inside so if u got pool only membership ud get away with using da pool as well, which was fairly decent
college clubs have to pay (i'm almost certain 20 euro per hour) to rent out the sports halls and (probably more 4 da) swimming pool for training
kinfisher also charge 2 euro to each member per training session even if u have membership which is a fuppin joke
when building da pool they wouldn't pay the the extra few bob for non-slip tiles - so the floors are very slipy
the pools floor which which was supposed 2 be able to change water depth was broken for most of the year
the kayak polo and swim polo werent able to get goals erected untill very late on, a few weeks b4 rag week
i think the general concencus is that people want them out, but that cant happen till their contract expires

my advice, if u want exercise join 1 of the outdoor clubs - theyre are loads
If u really want 2 join da gym, get 1 sementer membership for just the pool and use the gym as well
otherwise pay the 5 E for once off visits or get some1 to leave u in the back

leeroybrown

gary82 wrote: »

I can't accept that the college can't employ skilled people (same level as the current kingfisher staff) and run the place minus the Kingfisher profit margin. The current staff probably couldn't run it but take on qualified people with gym experience.

If Kingfisher can afford to kit out the place, I'm sure the college (who're engaging in a €400million development plan) can manage it.

You've not seen college in action enough then. It tends to be a bad idea when you take on such a large task so far outside your expertise so I think they made the correct choice by installing an operator. They even managed to pick the deal that represented the best value for the average student and my understanding is that the contract that's in place makes it conducive to have a large student membership base. They could barely manage the facilities in Áras Na Mac Léinn properly despite having an external operator for the gym. Comparatively the current arrange represents better value given the massive improvement in facilities.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm not a big fan of the way the whole process was orchestrated from day one. My point is really that the University got the best value they could given how much cash they were willing to spend from their own pocket. Not very much...

Cathal Kelly wrote: »

i think the general concencus is that people want them out, but that cant happen till their contract expires

I'd be wary of the 'grass is greener' situation. There are a limited number of operators out there who'd be willing to take it on, particularly in the current climate. Kingfisher represented by far the best deal of those who tendered. I'd suggest that the real focus should be on finding the best way to get the University to exert pressure to get these issues resolved now and you might find that it'll be a very much improved service for the remainder of the contract.

Cathal Kelly

leeroybrown wrote:

I'd suggest that the real focus should be on finding the best way to get the University to exert pressure to get these issues resolved now and you might find that it'll be a very much improved service for the remainder of the contract.

some of the club captains have already taken up an issue over members having to pay the 2 euro with no sucess

what type of system was in place 2 years ago in aras na mac leinn?
was only 1st year last year so dont really know the details

kmart6

Ridiculous if it's included in yer registration fee's!!!!