NMB Fitness Center Racks Up Members: Facility is Doing Well at 1-Month Mark
By Janelle Frost, The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, S.C., The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Dec. 23–NORTH MYRTLE BEACH — It has been a month since the city’s 64,000-square-foot aquatic and fitness center opened.
And its membership continues to grow.
Members and city officials say the center is a great asset to the community.
“We are very pleased,” center director Melinda Chappell said. “We have people signing up daily. People that are coming and using it are benefiting from it.”
As of last week, 621 membership packages had been sold, which includes 1,230 people, Chappell said.
“The individual [memberships] are higher than anyone else.”
In 2003, the city borrowed $8.6 million from BB&T Corp. to build the aquatic center. Equipment was purchased with fundraising money.
Although public money was used to secure the loan, officials have said the center will pay for itself.
Since it opened, the center has been seeing a mixture of people including families, young adults, seniors, city officials and city employees.
Mayor Marilyn Hatley, Councilmen Bob Cavanaugh, Greg Duckworth and Terry White are among city officials who come to the facility faithfully, said Assistant Director Diane Bartlett. She said about 125 to 140 city employees and their families are members.
Hatley starts her day at the facility around 6 a.m. in the therapy pool, swimming pool and hot tub.
Rick Ballweg, who swims, rides the bikes and lifts weights three days a week, said the center is state-of-the art.
The facility has an eight-lane swimming pool, a therapy pool, a gymnasium with a running and walking track, racquetball courts and facilities for people with disabilities.
Earlier this month, the center also started its water and land classes, including aerobics, yoga and Pilates. It will begin a 3-on-3 basketball league in January.
“I never seen some of the equipment they have here,” said Ballweg, 58, as he waited while his wife, Judi Ballweg, finished her aerobics class. “There’s always someone here to help you. It’s very user-friendly.”
The Sunset Beach, N.C., residents have a small exercise room and outdoor pool where they live, which Rick Ballweg said can fill up very quickly.
The couple used to be members of Pepper Geddings Recreation Center in Myrtle Beach.
“We made the decision that we would be willing to drive 15 to 20 minutes to work out here,” he said. “We can come here anytime and do our workout.”
Gerry Sadler, 64, said he and his wife, Pat Sadler, come to the area six months out of the year from Rochester, N.Y., and wanted something to do, especially when the weather is bad. The couple, which has a condo at Colonial Charters on S.C. 9, was impressed with the center.
“It just overwhelmed us how beautiful this place is,” Gerry Sadler said. “They look at the needs of all aging people, and even kids.”
Sadler works out on the treadmill and bikes, and he does aerobics and weight training while Pat Sadler has her aerobics class.
Sadler said his wife, who has arthritis, also uses the therapy pool.
North Myrtle Beach resident Robbie Rauton, who’s also in an aerobics class, said the facility has surpassed her expectations.
“I think it reflects what a town or community can do when everyone pulls together,” Rauton said.
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For information
For information about the North Myrtle Beach Aquatic and Fitness Center or membership rates, please call 281-3737.
Contact JANELLE FROST at 443-2404 or jfrost@thesunnews.com [mailto:jfrost@thesunnews.com].
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