Published: July 02, 2009 04:02 pm      

Dream realized

Four Seasons YMCA a healthy addition

A dream more than a decade in the making for the Tazewell community is finally a reality. The doors to the Four Seasons YMCM opened last week, and more than 2,100 people have already visited the region’s newest health and fitness center. The YMCA also has 2,585 members, according to membership director Shanna Kitts.

The $7.5 million project was largely made possible by contributions from the local community.

It was actually proposed about 12 years ago to meet a health and fitness facility need for the Tazewell community. Fund-raising initiatives for the project lasted about eight years. After more than a year of construction, the new 38,000-square foot facility is finally a reality.

It includes two pools, a walking track, weight rooms, water aerobic classes, a jogging track and a cardiovascular room offering treadmills, exercise bikes and other equipment. The facility also includes a full size gymnasium for basketball, volleyball and large group exercise classes, an aerobics studio for exercise classes that will also double as a meeting room; a child watch or nursery area, and several other additions.

The YMCA also serves as a social gathering point for the community.

The new facility is a welcomed addition to Tazewell that will meet a critical health and fitness need for residents living in the region.

Without an existing health and fitness center, folks in Tazewell had to travel either to Bluefield or Princeton — trips that could be difficult during periods of inclement weather.

The new Four Seasons YMCA is located adjacent to Tazewell Community Hospital.

We welcome the addition of the Four Seasons YMCA to the Tazewell community, and we applaud those officials who led the tireless fight to develop this project. We also commend everyone in the Tazewell community who contributed to this worthwhile initiative.

The project — formerly known as the Four Seasons Wellness Center — became the Four Seasons YMCA last year when the wellness center board of directors approved an affiliation with the national YMCA

Across the nation, the YMCA helps serve America’s children, families and communities by building a healthy spirit, mind and body for all. YMCAs serve more than 20.2 million people each year, uniting men, women and children of all ages, races, faiths, backgrounds and income levels. We believe the YMCA affiliation is a good fit for Tazewell.

Although it has taken years of planning and fund-raising to get the project off the ground, we believe the new Four Seasons YMCA was well worth the wait.