Part of Q-RAC Opens After Long Delay

Portions of the Quadrangle Athletic Center (QRAC) opened yesterday following a two month shutdown because of water damage.

President Horner agreed last month to a December reopening date for the three-year old facility's undamaged main reactional room which includes basketball courts and a Universal Gym exercise machine. Horner said she would wait to open Q-RAC until preliminary work got underway to stop leaks in other parts of the building.

Although those repairs which began over thanks giving break will keep the Q-RAC racquetball and squash courts closed through next semester, renewed access to the main gym will make life easier for Quad residents who have had to travel to the Indoor Atheletic Building (IAB)

A lot of the jocks have been dying because they have to go there, "David J Delgado '85, who lives in Currier House, said yesterday.

Hemenway Gym at the Law School, the University Squash Courts on Linden St. and converted House storage rooms have served Quad residents as substitutes for Q-RAC.

Ted J.Maleis '85, who said he applied to Currier last spring because of its proximity to the Q-RAC, was one of many QUAD residents whgo expressed clation and relief yesterday. "Even though they don't have a place to change and get a drink here, thank God it's finally open," Maleis said.

The ongoing repair work has cut off access from the main gym floor to Q-RAC's bathrooms, a condition normally not allowed in athletic facilities under Cambridge law. But Horner said this week that city officials suspended the health regulation for Radcliffle on the condition that no competitive events be held at the Q-RAC until repairs are completed.

Maders, a varsity soccer player, added that he became accustomed to using the Q-RAC for off-season conditioning during his freshman year, but has spent many afternoons in the IAB this fall.

Over the past two months many QUAD residents have expressed dissatisfaction with Horner's handling of the Q-RAC's situation charging that she could have acted more quickly to open the main gym while awaiting a long-delayed report on the leaks.

It's about time that it opened," said Glenn D. Brack'85, expressing sentiments shared by the students who visited the gym on its first day open this year.

Patience

Responding to the student complaints Horner has said that she did not want to act hastly to reopen any parts of the gym until she could be sure that repairs would not pose safety threat to student.

Despite the gym's partial reopenig, the three Quad House Committee chairman and College officials or countuing to discuse alternatives to the facilites that remain off limits.

Carrier House Chairman Alan A. Khazei `83 said yesterday that official are now considering several proposal that would be supported by operating funds accumulated while the gym was shot. Among the proposals are planes to improve exercise facilites in the individual Houses, reserve extra squash court time at Hemenaway for Quad residents, and add extra shuttle bus service to the IAB