Bristol Family YMCA To Operate Wellness Center
Published: January 23, 2009
Updated: January 23, 2009
The Bristol Family YMCA will take over operation of the Wellmont Wellness Center, beginning in early March. The transition caps three years of discussions between the YMCA and Bristol Regional Medical Center and allows the YMCA to build on its vision to improve the overall health and fitness of the Bristol community.
Beginning March 3, YMCA personnel will staff and manage the Wellness Center, located at 2000 West State St. in Bristol, Tenn.
“We are pleased that our long-term vision and planning for a healthier Bristol have synched up with Bristol Regional’s similar concern for better health and fitness in our community,” YMCA CEO Chris Ayers says. “We anticipate a seamless operational transition through this collaborative effort. We firmly believe this is a ‘win-win-win’ for Wellness Center members, YMCA members and the entire Bristol community.”
Wellness Center members will have full access to all YMCA facilities and programs, and YMCA members will have the added benefit of being able to use the Wellness Center, Ayers explains.
“Our staff is excited about welcoming all Wellness Center members to the YMCA family,” he adds.
The Wellness Center facility will close for a few days in early March to allow for the managerial transition, and it will reopen to all current Wellness Center and YMCA members March 9. All existing Wellness Center memberships will be honored under the YMCA management structure.
“The Bristol Family YMCA is the recognized fitness leader in the Bristol community,” says Greg Neal, Bristol Regional’s chief operating officer. “As a healthcare system, we are naturally concerned about the fitness of our community, but our primary focus is on providing superior health care to the families of our region. This transition of operation lets the Bristol Family YMCA expand its fitness vision in the community, while allowing Bristol Regional to focus on our primary healthcare mission and draw on that expertise to explore new wellness services with the YMCA and in the community as a whole.”
Under the management transition plan, the YMCA will lease the Wellness Center from Bristol Regional Medical Center at the rate of $1 per year.
“We want to give Wellness Center members plenty of time to become acquainted with the YMCA’s facility on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and be comfortable using these excellent facilities,” Ayers says. “In time, our membership will be fully integrated into the current YMCA facility, where we have major renovation plans for later this year.”
About the Bristol Family YMCA
The Bristol Family YMCA has been serving Bristol for more than 125 years and has a current membership of 4,900 members. The YMCA’s mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that help build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all family members. More than 60 water and land exercise classes are included in a membership. A youth fitness gym designed for youth ages 6-12 is also available, and a nursery is provided for children under 5 years old at no additional cost.
About Bristol Regional Medical Center
Since opening its state-of-the-art facility in 1994, Bristol Regional Medical Center has served its communities through physician partnership, technological innovation and growth. It was the first hospital in the region to offer the CyberKnife Stereotactic Radiosurgery System, a digital cardiac catheterization lab and a Primary Stroke Center. It is also a member of Wellmont Health System, the premier provider of healthcare services for Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Southeast Kentucky.
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Reader Reactions
Yeah, the Wellness is going downhill alright. It is closing. The Y is going to keep it open long enough to do some things at the Y and then they are closing the Wellness althogether. The day they take over they are closing the pool and shortening hours. Those who enjoy the pool at Wellness will have to go the the Y and swim with hundreds of children and there will be no more peace at the gym. The Y does not have a raquetball court either so those of you who enjoy that will need to change your membership to Bristol Raquet & Fitness. It is a sad time for Bristol that the hospital is so poorly run that they have to give away their gym and let down their community. Also, the Y talked so proudly about keeping the employees at Wellness and come to find out they are reducing their pay…geee, thanks. And does anyone know if the Y is going to offer the patient physical therapy that was offered at Wellness? In that dirty building? Hmmm, I wouldn’t risk it.
This is really sad news for Bristol. The Wellness Center has been a real boon. They worked with companies and city governments to offer affordable memberships. The WYCA has just raised their rates AGAIN, and they are almost insufferable. The kids run screaming all over the facility. There is no control on them. The facility is at times not well-cleaned and sanitary. Chris Ayres is arrogant and not overly concered with pleasing anyone who is not part of the “donor” community. It is apoorly run Y and now the Wellness Center will go down too.
I am so very disappointed to hear this is taking place. I have been a member of both facilities/currently a member of Wellness Center. The two are not comparable in services nor environment. The YMCA is a community center that caters to children and teenagers. I am not at all saying this is a bad thing, they have some wonderful services and provide great services to our community and my family has used those services in years past. But, for those that do not have children and want to exercise with adults and a more serene atmosphere the Wellness Center was a better fit being that there is nothing there for kids or teens to do except exercise and if that was not their interest they wouldnt’ be there. I feel that now that Chris Ayers is going to be over the Wellness it will go in the same direction. The Wellness Center is a fitness center, not a community center, it does not need a teen room with a big screen tv or video games like the Y has, at one point they even wanted to put in a snack bar for the after school kids that served Nachos and hotdogs..now that is teaching fitness and healthy eating huh. Also, if you are a member of the Wellness your rates are going up. The YMCA’s rates are higher than the Wellness and they are going to honor their rates for three months then you will go to the higher rate. So, we are going to have to pay more to help fund a transition that will not be a positive one for the Wellness. Please don’t attack me saying that I do not like children or teens, I love kids and have a house full of teenagers every weekend. Thank goodness my contract is up next month…
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