MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University will celebrate its new Robert and Virginia Foster Fitness Center with a grand-opening ceremony Thursday, Sept. 10.

The ceremony, which begins at 10:30 a.m., will include a ribbon-cutting at the facility’s main entrance and a brief program inside. The Foster Fitness Center is located on the south side of the Northwest campus, adjacent to the Lamkin Activity Center. The grand-opening event is open to the public, and refreshments will be served.

Though the grand-opening celebration will formally mark the completion of the University’s reimagining of its former aquatic center, the facility opens for use by Northwest students and employees Monday, Aug. 31, in conjunction with the start of the fall trimester.

The new fitness center consists of 19,490 square feet of open floor space, accommodating state-of-the-art cardio and weight lifting machines, a human performance lab and classroom space. In addition, the facility houses a group exercise room and a 2,300-square-foot mezzanine with cardio equipment and windows that provide natural lighting in the facility.

Additionally, the facility includes new locker rooms and an enclosed walkway connecting Northwest’s existing Student Recreation Center for added convenience. Energy usage is greatly reduced in the new space with all new mechanical and electrical systems as well as LED lighting.