Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown toured the Leonardtown Campus of the College of Southern Maryland April 18, getting a fitness workout as he delivered a ceremonial capital check for $11.7 million to fund the colleges new wellness center.
The 32,000-square-foot project is scheduled to break ground by the fall and will be the fourth building on the campus. It is the largest project in St. Marys County to receive funds in the states 2009 capital budget.
Expanding fitness and wellness opportunities for members of our community is a high priority, said Brown. Providing opportunities for students and community members to participate in fitness programs helps improve upon their quality of life.
During his campus tour, the Lt. Governor visited the existing fitness classroom where he spoke with students and community members, and participated in a five-minute fitness stretch with community residents, members of the Wellness Center Advisory Committee, college officials and elected dignitaries.
“Lt. Governor Anthony Brown has been a tireless advocate of community colleges and has played a pivotal role in securing the funding for our new wellness center on the Leonardtown campus, said College of Southern Maryland President Brad Gottfried. We will be working closely with Lt. Governor Brown to ensure that Southern Marylanders have access to the high quality health and fitness programs and facilities that they deserve,” he added.
The one-story building will be home to two swimming pools, a variety of classroom spaces for aerobics, yoga and other fitness activities. In addition, the building will have specialized fitness assessment rooms for individualized consultations and fitness analysis.