Heather Seal, a senior majoring in political science and philosophy, is one of the students who uses the facilities at Carmichael Gymnasium.

She said she is also one of a number of students who have to wait to use equipment because there are not enough treadmills and exercise bikes to go around.

Well, there’s some good news for Seal. Carmichael is expanding.

“I can speak from personal experience that it is hard to find available workout equipment now,” Seal said. “But with the expansion it will be easier to get a treadmill and make working out more enjoyable.”

In April, construction will begin on a new 40,000-square-foot building connected to the existing gym. The new building will be built where the outdoor basketball courts are now. New courts might be built adjacent to the tennis courts behind the Student Health Center, although no plans are in place.

For Mary Yemma, a graduate assistant in the club sports department, the expansion is a welcome sight.

“Personally, I’m very excited about it,” Yemma said. “It’s been in the works for about 10 years now and it is definitely needed.”

The new building will house cardiovascular workout rooms and weight training rooms designed to alleviate some of the overcrowding experienced in the existing gym.

Yemma said more room will enhance people’s experiences at the gym.

“We’ll have happier students,” Yemma said. “The overall satisfaction of the gym experience will be greater because there will be more available equipment and less waiting.”

Seal, who is a program assistant for Carmichael Complex Facilities and Operations, said it will enhance her gym experience.

“For students to be able to come to the gym is a very important aspect of being at N.C. State,” Seal said. “But right now we’ve outgrown the shelves.”

Club sports that meet and use the gym to practice will reap the benefits of the expansion as well. The space in the new building will allow for more open space in the old building for clubs to meet.

“The expansion will give more space to things such as the martial arts club,” Yemma said. “And also other clubs that don’t have a lot of room right now will have the room to grow and be more comfortable in the gym.”

The new building will also have an access ramp for loading rented outdoor equipment.

“Now, people who check out canoes have to carry them down the hall, through the double doors and out to their car,” Yemma said. “But with the new building, they can back their cars up to the building and load it right onto the car.”

Yemma said the University is hoping for a 2007 completion.

Carmichael Complex Facilities and Operations will hold a ground breaking ceremony at the gym to celebrate the expansion project on Tuesday at 3 p.m. The group encourages students and faculty to attend.

“We want people to come out to the ceremony to celebrate this,” Yemma said. “We want people to have the opportunity to be part of history here at State.”