North Recreation Center — Attraction in Columbus

I often visit the OSU North Rec Gym and found that it offers strong accessibility features, in line with ADA requirements. From the moment you walk in, the automatic doors make the entrance easily accessible for individuals with mobility challenges. The front desk, while initially high, has a lower table adjacent to it, ensuring that everyone can check in without difficulty.

Throughout the facility, the signage is clear and helpful, especially for those navigating accessible routes. The gym is equipped with elevators that provide access to every floor, and in my experience, they have always been in working order. The elevators themselves are spacious, providing plenty of room for wheelchair users or anyone needing extra space. Additionally, emergency exits are clearly marked with visible signage, which is reassuring in case of an emergency.

When it comes to the gym’s interior, I was pleased to see that the layout allows for easy movement, with wide spaces between equipment for wheelchair access. The accessible lockers are well-marked and positioned for ease of use. Restrooms on every floor are spacious and labeled with accessibility signs, and they include accessible showers, offering a convenient option for those who need them.

One area that could be improved is the equipment itself. While much of it is accessible for users with different needs, there is a lack of Braille or tactile labels on weights and machines, which could pose a challenge for visually impaired individuals. Adding Braille labels or audio assistance could make the gym more inclusive for all users.

Overall, the OSU North Rec Gym does a commendable job of ensuring accessibility for most people, with features like automatic doors, spacious elevators, and accessible restrooms and lockers. There is room for small improvements, such as adding Braille to the equipment, but as it stands, it’s a very accessible and...

I have recently been coming to the North Recreation Center and love all that it has to offer. Looking at it in terms of accessibility, the gym had pretty decent accessibility due to being a newer building. Upon entry of the building, there is two doorways, book with accessible entry. There is lots of space for moving around and the machines are well spaced out. In addition, the sensory aspects of the North Rec Center was not the best. I know that it is a gym, but there is loud noises of weights and music that could be overstimulating or difficult for a person with a hearing disability. Besides that, the lighting in the gym is accessible in terms of lighting. It is well lit up, but there is also curtains that can be closed and separate rooms that can be used. One of the biggest issues that I encountered that would be a barrier for a person with a physical disability would be the large staircase that goes all the way from the first to the third floor. Although there is an elevator, it was difficult to find and I wasn’t sure If there was one until I searched for it. In regards to the elevator and the different rooms and floors, there is brail on the elevator and the signs. Overall, the North Recreation Center is an accessible gym with many different options for working out or...

The facility is clean and well maintained. That's the only nice thing I will be saying about this gym. Other than that, North Recreation Center is honestly a waste of space. It's ok when it's empty but other than that it horrendous. If you want to work out cardio, this place is fine. If you want to be a beginner weight-lifter, this place is fine. If your goal is to be anything but sub par, please go to Jesse Owens or the RPAC instead. All of the free weights are congested into this tiny corner of the gym where you'll be waiting 20+ mins for a single bench or station to open up. If you do happen to grab a spot to start your sets, you'll be climbing over and bumping into everyone as you try to obtain some weights. Instead of maximizing space, the builders decides to make the second floor, balcony style failing wasting about half a floor where they could have either spread out the equipment they had, divided up cardio and weights in a matter that made sense, or added equipment that people actually use instead of a 4 piece machine where you can do the...