By C.D.DeSALVO
Hays Post
For employees and members of the Hays Recreation Commission, March 15, 2017, has been a long time coming. Since 2012-13, the HRC has been looking into a project to expand the fitness center to create a bigger area for members that use the facilities. On March 16, 2016, officials broke ground just north of the current HRC building to start the nearly 13,000-square-foot project.
Fast forward a year, and the new fitness center is built and waiting to be filled with equipment.
“The building has come along really nicely, and I am pleased with the final product,” said HRC Superintendent Roger Bixenman. “It is going to expand our current space by quadruple, and I think the patrons that come through the doors are going to be really happy with what we have.”
But it is not just cardio and weight equipment that will take up space in the new building. The new facility also features two rooms for group fitness classes as well as bigger bathrooms with more showers and lockers.
“We will have two rooms for group fitness. Right now, we use one of the basketball gyms for group fitness so that will in turn help us free up that gym for what it was intended for originally like sports programs and practices in the evenings and games on the weekends,” Bixenman said. “A new spin class that we have never offered before will be in one of the group fitness rooms, and we will also have aerial yoga for the first time. There will definitely be some unique programming and just having more area and more space, bigger locker room facilities as well with bathrooms and showers, that is exciting.”
The staff also will have expanded space. The Wellness Director will have an office as will the Fitness Specialist to conduct better private consultation and fitness assessments. The HRC also features five certified personal trainers that will have more freedom and room for personal training after the move to the new building.
On Monday and Tuesday, some of the current equipment will be taken apart and moved to the new facility and about $100,000 worth of new cardio and weight equipment will arrive in time for the official opening on Wednesday.
With the new building will come new business hours as well. The facility will open from 4:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
“If there is a need or demand for people wanting to have us stay open later, we will entertain that,” Bixenman said.
With the new facility, the HRC will go through the process of hiring more part-time help, offering approximately 20 to 25 hours a week. For more information, contact Wellness Director Dave Quillin at [email protected].