Allure of AC’s renovated fitness center stronger than ever after year of use

It has been a year since Amarillo College’s FirstBank Southwest Center opened its doors to offer a range wellness, exercise and recreational opportunities to everyone in the community, and the “new” has not yet come close to wearing off.

In fact, quite the opposite is actually the case.

“When we get new members in here even now, they love the fact that it’s so fresh and clean and new, that it’s not crowded, and that we have such great workout equipment, gymnasiums and locker rooms,” said Craig Clifton, AC’s executive director of enrichment and wellness.

“They like our affordability, too,” he said. “Our services are very competitively priced. We are fortunate to have such a state-of-the-art facility here at the College that serves not just students and employees, but which the community also has access to.”

Empowered by Amarillo voters’ passage of an $89.2 million bond referendum in 2019, the aging fitness center on AC’s Washington Street Campus (formerly Carter Fitness Center) underwent an extensive $11.3 million makeover. Once the dust settled, the College had a premiere 48,344-square-foot fitness center featuring amenities such as four full-size basketball/volleyball gyms equipped with pickleball nets, a top-of-the-line weight room, group exercise and spin-cycling rooms, spiffy new locker rooms and showers, and something the old fitness center never had – ample air-conditioning.

The bond supported expansion of the adjacent parking lot, too.

While some new members are attracted to FirstBank Southwest Center to enjoy pickleball in climate-controlled comfort – the sport is prioritized daily from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. – others are captivated by the unique cardio area that’s situated in the second-story addition on the building’s south side, from which cardio enthusiasts enjoy an expansive view of Memorial Park.

Gyms are available for rental and can accommodate youth sports activities, athletic tournaments, and various other events. Everything that the facility offers, and its associated costs, can be found at rec.actx.edu. And you need not become a member of AC’s fitness center to make use of its many resources because day passes and weekend passes are also available.

“Since we’ve been open for about a year now, we’ve had the opportunity to work out all the kinks and to refine all our processes and policies so that we’re now best able to serve all our communities,” Clifton said. “We are the best facility in Amarillo in some ways, and we’re one of the best in many ways, so we hope everyone drops in to check it out. Everybody is welcome,” he said, “whether they are interested in a community membership or they simply want to take a look inside.”

Clifton also is pleased to note that the fitness center’s accessibility will improve very soon as road construction on 24th Street is on the verge of completion. Currently, the only vehicle access to FirstBank Southwest Center is through the entryway off Jackson Street that borders the north edge of Memorial Park. However, 24th Street, featuring a newly installed roundabout at the fitness center’s main entrance, lacks only signage and directional paint and could reopen virtually any day.

To learn more about the array of offerings at Amarillo College’s FirstBank Southwest Center, please visit rec.actx.edu. And make sure to view the highly informational “Facilities Homepage” section you will find there.