Sun City West Recreation Centers officials announced Thursday the Beardsley Fitness Center will reopen next month.

Governing Board President Matt Szydlowski said at the regular board meeting that the center will reopen at 9 a.m. Dec. 31 and feature refreshments to mark the occasion.

The fitness center has been closed since June 24 for the renovation project, which will end up costing less than the $750,000 original estimate. The work has doubled the size of the facility to about 3,000 square feet, said Katy O'Grady, Rec Centers spokeswoman.

The fitness center update was the fourth phase of the overall Beardsley Recreation Center renovation, which also includes renovation to the Arts and Crafts Building and the Aquatics Building.

In other news, the board approved the appointment of new director Scott Ellis to serve as chairman of the Human Resource Committee. Ellis was appointed to the board at the Nov. 7 workshop meeting to serve a portion of the term left vacant by the resignation of Max Mohr in September. Ellis will serve until June 2009.

The board also approved minor changes to the wording of several financial policies in the bylaws.