At the cutting edge of wellness
With the new well-being wing, the Ping Recreation Center brings a holistic approach to student health.
Kweku Diaw, MA '25 | October 1, 2024
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Ping Recreation Center, a 168,000-square-foot recreation facility spanning three floors that houses multipurpose gymnasiums and many other unique spaces that cater to student well-being, is opening a new state-of-the-art wing to elevate the well-being experience of students on campus.
Students can access the new wing at any time during Ping's regular hours.
A spectrum of well-being
The new wing has a coaching suite for counseling services outside the office and a lounge space to help students relieve their stress called "the mind spot."
The area includes resources, activities, and programs to help students relax using art and music therapy.
Wes Bonadio, director of Well-being and Recreation, walked us through some of the features of the new space.
"I think we are pace-setters in our design and presentation, he says. "What we have built is very much in touch with modern resources to cater to the whole spectrum of well-being."
Bonadio says the wing is designed with a holistic approach, "catering to the mind, body, and soul." The project team included multiple campus units, including Counseling and Psychological Services, and student voices factored heavily into their planning.
"We took the time to listen to what the students had to say about the innovative units we had in mind for the wing and considered all that," Bonadio says.
"Time for innovation"
"The priority of the Department of Well-being and Recreation is to support the well-being of the students through recreation, leisurely activities, exercise, physical activities, etcetera," says Director of Well-being and Recreation Wes Bonadio. "We re-evaluated the Ping and how well it has served the students' needs and well-being. Based on our assessment, we believed it was time for innovation, and the new well-being wing served that purpose.
The equipment offered in the new wing might not be immediately recognizable to everyone. In addition to meditation and relaxing space, visitors will find HydroMassages and a Cryo lounge.
"Our job is to ensure all the necessary resources students need to maximize their potential," Bondadio says. "The new well-being wing offers that."
The new space is designed to cater to all aspects of wellness. It is available to all students on a walk-in basis.
"The wing is our way of giving our students all they need to be successful on campus," Bonadio says. "For students coming to OHIO, we want them to see a space like the new wing and find themselves connected to it in a unique way to elevate their student experience."