Coronavirus information
Updated May 22
We are working diligently with the University of Alaska leadership to find a path
forward towards opening our facilities, but we don't know when that will be. Please
be prepared to use the facilities soon, but with new procedures in place such as different
entrance and exit points, masks, showing up dressed to play, no locker rooms, etc.
Ideally, these restrictions will be gradually lifted. We will only have one chance
to do this right. Thanks for your understanding, this is our first pandemic. We appreciate
your patience while we gain UAF support of our safety measures.
The facilities included in this closure are: the Student Recreation Center, the Patty
Ice Arena, the Patty Pool, the Outdoor Adventures equipment rental center, and the
West Ridge Fitness Center.
We appreciate your patience with this disruption in service. We will do our best to provide information on reopening dates through multiple channels of communication. If you haven’t already, follow UAF Nanook Rec on Instagram and like us on Facebook. Check our website as well.
For questions, you can reach out to our managers via email who will try their best to respond in a timely manner:
- Nanook Recreation Memberships, Anne Doyle, aldoyle@alaska.edu
- Student Recreation Center, Anne Doyle, aldoyle@alaska.edu
- Patty Ice, Luke Bonnewell, lbonnewell@alaska.edu
- Outdoor Adventures equipment rental and trips, Frank Olive, folive@alaska.edu
- Climbing programs, Christian Mogensen, cmogensen@alaska.edu
- Group Fitness, Chris McComb, cmccomb@alaska.edu
- Personal Training, Chris McComb, cmccomb@alaska.edu
- Intramurals and Student Clubs, Brent Culleton, baculleton@alaska.edu
- Patty Pool, Mark Oldmixon, mtoldmixon@alaska.edu
- General, the management group, uaf-recreation@alaska.edu
- West Ridge Fitness Center, Anne Doyle, aldoyle@alaska.edu
Visit the UA coronavirus information website to learn how the University of Alaska is responding to the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 situation and find links to FAQs, communications, resources and policy guidance.
Update sent to members on May 11, 2020
Date: Mon, May 11, 2020 at 11:27 AM
Subject: Nanook Recreation Updates
Hello Nanook Nation! We are thrilled Alaska has flattened the curve so far. Way to go! Thanks to all our front line essential workers. You rock!
We know you are anxious to get back to your workout routines, practices, climbs, and games. Now that the Governor has given opening guidance, we are waiting for the University of Alaska Statewide Incident Management Team to release their guidance and internal regulations on how all UAF entities can transition back to campus. Then we can refine the many scenarios we have considered, promptly hire & train staff, and gradually reopen Outdoor Adventures, SRC and Patty Ice.
Be prepared for equipment spread out further than normal, low capacities on the number of people using different areas, and the high probability we must follow the current industry standards to not allow contact sports like basketball and hockey.
We will have additional cleaning measures in place and protocols to help facilitate social distancing. We will publish our guidelines and policies ahead of time, to make you aware of changes before coming back for the first time. Most impactfully, we will need each member to help keep each other safe. We can only have continued operation if we can work together to maintain a healthy environment. With that said, each member should know that you are the safest at your own home. Coming to the gym or ice rink will increase your exposure to other people.
We know that other area gyms will open before us, just know that we are being extra careful as we have well over 1000 wonderful members and facilities with historically high usage rates. We appreciate each of you and your patience.
Annually we close the pool this time of year for regular maintenance which is still on schedule and plan re-open June 8, earliest. We took advantage of the downtime to replace the thermostat sensors in the saunas, an ongoing project. And the new locker installation in the SRC is moving forward, maybe with the stall caused by COVID they will be ready for us by the end of August.
We will stay in touch. Any news we have will be posted and emailed to members. Stay
in-the-know by following UAF Nanook Recreation on Facebook and @nanookrec on Instagram,
or checking www.uaf.edu/
Sincerely,
Nanook Recreation Team
Update sent to members April 17, 2020
Date: Fri, Apr 17, 2020 at 12:38 PM
Subject: Nanook Recreation Updates
Happy Friday Everyone,
Nanook Recreation deeply misses our students and members. We hope you are staying safe and healthy and supporting each other. We can't wait to be open (or even know when this might be), but we know social distancing is what needs to happen right now. This email is to provide some updates and ideas, and as always, your thoughts/feedback are welcome.
While the facilities are closed we are doing extra deep cleaning; the boards in the ice are getting scrubbed, hockey nets are being restrung and painted, the pool is drained and being re-grouted, thorough disinfecting of climbing holds while re-setting all the routes on the climbing wall, etc. We are also working toward one of our oldest unmet goals: replacing the flooring and lockers in the SRC locker rooms.
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For some, staying fit at home can be hard. Everyone has a different approach, style and comfort zone. Below are a number of resources that may work for your style.
- Nanook Recreation staff have posted an extensive series of videos demonstrating specific exercises
- Anyone with an @alaska.educan access the Down Dog App until July 1
- Other great options include the Nike ntc App or Life Fitness
- There are lots of extremely interesting and mobile friendly wellness articles at
UAF CampusWell
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Intramurals will be going online next week! Stay tuned to imLeagues.
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We know many families are stuck home with kids crawling up the walls. And now summer camps around the state are closing their doors. UAF Summer Sessions is working to address this community need. Check out their first installment of virtual camp programs. Mountain Kids Camp is running now; skiing and treasure!
Getting outside in Alaska is easy, but only with the right knowledge. Outdoor Adventures is working on producing complete trip planning guides for some local adventures that families or students can enjoy. They will include maps, gear packing lists, food planning, risk awareness and more. Stay tuned for these amazing resources.
In the meantime, challenge your family to some chair bouldering.
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Stay in touch with our social media. We are currently running a photo contest on Instagram @nanookrec and UAF Nanook Recreation on Facebook. Show us how you are staying healthy at home.
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When we are able to reopen, we will need to hire people to replace many of the great student employees we have lost. If you know someone who needs a job in the future, please keep us in mind.
Know someone who should be getting these emails? We might not have a good email address on file for them. Contact info can be updated by emailing us at uaf-recreation@alaska.edu.
Be well everyone,
Mark and all of us at Nanook Recreation
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