by Niki King
PR Specialist
From updated locker rooms and fitness equipment, to expanded onsite childcare and pools hours, to new group fitness classes and climbing area for children, there’s a lot to look forward to at the JCC.
Tom Wissinger, Director of Membership and Wellness, recently announced a host of facility upgrades and member benefits planned for the fall.
He said the changes are in response to member requests and staff evaluations of how the JCC can maintain its competitive edge in the local market.
For example, new cardio fitness equipment will be installed throughout the fitness facility. Each unit will be connected to the internet and feature a touch screen monitor and other savvy features. While the building is older, and there are certain aspects about it that cannot be changed, “we can upgrade the equipment inside the facility to make sure we have the highest quality of cardio equipment in the area,” he said.
Existing and potential members who take tours have said they would prefer updated locker rooms, so plans are underway now to complete those renovations this fall, he said.
J-Play will now be offered to members for free and J-Play Plus, a new childcare drop-off pilot program for kids entering 1st through 5th grade, is being offered in the lower gym on Saturday and Sunday mornings for five weeks starting July 13 (see story CenterPiece page 2).
“It’s another way to give a service without adding on a fee,” he said.
New group fitness classes will also be introduced. Innovative program offerings in small group training will include Group Reformer Pilates, Barbells and Bourbon, BoxFit and Teen Power.
“Research shows that when you work out with others, you are more likely to keep up with it,” he said. “So we’re increasing our efforts to add a social component to our group fitness classes.”
For the Barbells and Bourbon class, a planned class that will start in the Fall, there will be an outing to a bourbon-tasting with the other class participants and the instructor.
For the last two years, the pool has remained open past Labor Day as a “thank you to our members for their commitment to us and we would like to continue that,” Wissinger said.
Membership Dues will increase to help pay for the improvements. It will be $1 per month — $12 per year — for an individual membership and $3 per month — $39 per year — for a family and single parent membership.
“These are all things we are trying to do to make it the best place for members and the rate increase will offset some of those costs,” Wissinger said.
Facility upgrades are not waiting until the fall to get underway. All new HVAC and basketball goals were upgraded in the Lower Gym the week of June 23.
The new hoops were updated to a ceiling mounted system which will make it easier to raise or lower the goals to fit the needs of the players or remove them if the gym is being used for something other than basketball.
The new HVAC system will help control temperatures in the gym. The old system had surpassed its life expectancy and was having issues keeping up with demand.
