Jal Strength & Fitness Center Opening Soon
By John Earp
The grand opening of the state-of-the-art Jal Strength & Fitness Center is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on June 22nd. Over the past couple of years, the City of Jal has been working to build a new fitness center in the former Burke Junior High School Gym. The center includes virtually every type of resistance training machine one could want, treadmills, stairmills, rowing machines, as well as a very well-appointed free-weight area with benches, squat racks, and dumbbells. Also included is a walking track which is 1/33rd of a mile in length, men’s and women’s locker rooms, as well as a play area for children five and up.
The fitness center will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, with adult single memberships being $45 monthly. For an additional $15 per month, 24/7 access to the gym will be available. A state-of-the-art camera security system will be used to monitor access to the facility. Friday hours of staffed operation will be from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Saturday hours will be 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The center will be closed on Sundays.
The mission statement of the Jal Strength & Fitness Center is “to enhance the quality of life in our community by providing accessible fitness opportunities, promoting healthy lifestyles, and fostering a supportive environment for residents and visitors alike,” according to the Member Handbook. The Jal Hospital District partnered with the City of Jal to help fund the multimillion-dollar fitness center, part of which will be used by the Hospital District’s Physical Therapy Department in rehabilitation of its patients.
Memberships for adult couples will be $60 monthly. Seniors (60+) will be just $5 monthly. Special family rates, military rates, and corporate rates are also available. Most memberships include two free months if 10 months are paid for in advance.
The Strength & Fitness Center presently has two full-time employees and two part-time employees. Rachel Elliott serves as the Director, and will report to the City Manager like other departments such as the Senior Center, Public Works, Fire/EMS, etc.