Renovations underway at Callahan

by Tina Ray
Paraglide

	photos by Stephenie Tatum/Paraglide The Callahan Athletic Center, above, is currently undergoing a $200,000 renovation effort that is expected to keep the facility closed until late February or early March.

Callahan Athletic Center is undergoing renovations and will open some time late February or early March, said Karen White, Fort Bragg Sports, Fitness and Aquatics athletic director.

The renovation of the physical fitness center at Reilly and Woodruff streets includes a facelift to the men and women’s bath and locker rooms, installation of rubberized flooring and electrical upgrades to accommodate high treadmill wattage, White said.

“Soldiers are going to like Callahan when it reopens,” she said.
The Directorate of Public Works took over renovation of Callahan in January and has 30 to 45 days to complete the work. White said she was at Callahan the week of Jan. 18 and believes DPW is moving along well.
The project is expected to cost under $200,000.

Some of the Nautilus circuit equipment will be replaced with hammer-strength, plate-loaded equipment, said White.

According to a fitness Web site, the plate-loaded equipment combines the feel of free weights with the safety of traditional resistance machines.

Patrons were advised of Callahan’s closing, White said. Staffers have been directed to fill vacancies or cover for workers on leave at other fitness centers on the installation.

According to an article recently published in The Fayetteville Observer, Callahan is one of few buildings left from the World War I era when Camp Bragg was founded. The wooden building was constructed in 1919 as a gym and lecture hall for a regimental-size unit.

Callahan originally cost $6,000 and is named for Col. Bernie Callahan, who died in an airplane crash in 1980 while on his way to a boxing competition. Callahan has been called the “father of Army boxing” as he was instrumental in initializing the program throughout the service.
Sgt. 1st Class Robert Herring of the Special Operations Recruiting Battalion is an avid body builder who frequented Callahan before its closing.

Herring said he is looking forward to its reopening, but has been working out at Iron Mike Fitness Center four to five times a week in the meantime.

“I was satisfied with the (Callahan) equipment they had before, but I am looking forward to the new equipment just to see what it has to offer,” Herring said.

White said Soldiers are going to like the renovations at Callahan.

“You do what you can with what you’ve got,” said White. “I think it is a great facelift for the facility.”

For more information about Fort Bragg physical fitness centers, visit the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Web site at www.fortbraggmwr.com/gyms.php.