SPRINGDALE — Getting in shape will be easier at the Jones Center following the opening of an expanded fitness center.
A grand opening for the relocated fitness area was held Thursday, showing off new equipment in a renovated space on the main level. The old, smaller fitness center was on the lower level next to the gymnasium.
Donations from the Walton Family Foundation and Good Sports made the new center possible, said Ed Clifford, chief executive officer of the Jones Trust, which oversees operations of the Jones Center. The local Dr Pepper Snapple Group submitted an application for the Good Sports donation of equipment, he said.
The Walton Family Foundation committed in December to donating $1 million per year for three
Fast Facts (w/logo)
Jones Fitness Center
Cost per year (gym and fitness center only)
Child: $15
Adult: $25
Family: $60
Hours: 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday
Source: Jones Center
years for improvement to the center. Steve Bratspies, an executive vice president at Walmart, also
is a member of the Jones Center Development Council.
“The Jones Center is a key part of Northwest Arkansas,” Bratspies said. “It’s mission is critical to the area. It is important to have a facility like this where everyone is welcome.”
The donation by Good Sports will help the Jones Center lay the foundation for a healthy and active community, said Morgan Coleman, national accounts director for Good Sports. The charitable organization aims to promote active lifestyles by providing equipment and apparel to disadvantaged youth.
The donation included fitness equipment such as weight benches, dumbbell racks and medicine balls. Good Sports also donated gymnastic equipment for an upcoming youth program, according to a news release.
“We are reorganizing the way we offer recreation in the Jones Center,” Clifford said. “We’ve been undergoing our reorganization for about a year.”
The center will add classes, said Michael Kirk, center director of recreation and fitness. Classes will include Zumba, Aqua Zumba and Turbo Kick.
The Jones Center includes an indoor ice rink, two indoor swimming pools, a gymnasium, a conference center, auditorium and computer center. The center cut the number of employees and added user fees in recent years to make the facility more sustainable.