Visitors to the Student Recreation Center now have a cheaper way to stay in shape.

Starting yesterday, the Student Recreation Center offers a $5 per day visitor pass, a three-day weekend pass and week-long passes.

Previously, the Rec Center only offered a two-day weekend pass for $5, Sarah Daugherty, co-director of the recreation center, said.

The three-day weekend pass is $10 and can be used Friday, Saturday and Sunday or Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The week-long pass is a seven-day pass for $15.

Most other state schools in Illinois charge the same.

Northern, Western and Southern Illinois Universities all charge $5 a day for visitor passes.

A representative from the recreation center at Northern Illinois University said they also offer different packages, including a 10-day pass for $15, a 15-day pass for $20 and a 30-day pass for $40.

Western Illinois University previously had a 10-visit punch-card available for $30, but it is currently not offered, said Connie Vandyke, a secretary in the office of student recreation at Western Illinois University.

Vandyke stressed the importance of their recreation center belonging to the students.

“We figure since it’s a student recreation center and the students pay for it, visitors have to come with a student or member,” Vandyke said.

Eastern also urges visitors to come to the Rec Center with a student.

Ken Baker, former director of student recreation and current interim director of athletics, said the visitors at Eastern should come with a student.

Baker said the student should be responsible for the visitor and help to explain procedures.

“If the visitor breaks a window or something, we need someone to hold accountable,” Baker said.

Visitors are also required to sign a waiver in case anything happens to them while in the recreation center.

The recreation center has about 175-200 visitors per semester and about 100 visitors in the summer, Daugherty said. This results in a profit of about $2000 a year.

The money made from visitors goes right back into the recreation center budget and is mostly used to replace old equipment.

Daughtery said even with the new pricing packages, they are expecting a profit of about the same amount as previous years.

Baker said they try to make the recreation center affordable for guests.

“We look at it as if you take a guest to the show; you get two hours of entertainment for $7.50. Here you get entertainment all day for $5,” Baker said.

Sara Cuadrado can be reached at 581-7942 or at slcuadrado@eiu.edu.