UW-Milwaukee’s Klotsche Center has experienced various closings the past week due to electronic and programming failures within the facility.
On Monday evening, the center reportedly closed its pool facility to students due to the failure of an electronic component controlling the pool’s pumps and the circulation of water.
Under license, the pool is not allowed to operate without such pumps fully functioning explained Director of University Recreation Steven Mohar.
Mohar said the pumps were only installed about one year ago, and luckily were still under warranty.
“We were able to contact the manufacturer for the part that was needed, and they sent someone over that evening. The pool was ready to go the next morning.”
On Thursday evening, both the cardio and weight room of the Klotsche Center were closed off to students for an air-handling unit that was experiencing technical issues. Because of such issues, both spaces became humid causing equipment and staircases to become damp and slippery.
“It was obvious the air-handling unit couldn’t keep up with the air exchange and that it wasn’t functioning right,” Mohar said. “There were quite a few people in the area, and it quickly became unsafe for that many people in the damp space.”
The areas were shut down to allow for component adjustments in the system and to allow the air-handling unit to catch up. According to Mohar, other parts needed to rectify the system should arrive on Monday. Until then, the Klotsche Center will staff facility members longer than usual tonight to monitor the air-handling services.
“It was a safety concern,” Mohar said. “We apologize for the inconvenience, but we erred on the side of students’ safety.”
Mohar doesn’t expect any further closings in the center. He also added the cold winter may have affected the air-handling units’ ability to function efficiently.