By Jessica Neal – Orem News
The community celebrated the Orem Family Fitness Center’s fifth birthday this March, marking a half decade since its massive renovation and expansion that ended in 2021.
The changes have multiplied the facility’s possibilities for Orem. Some of the birthday festivities included giveaways, specialized fitness classes, treats and prizes.
“We do a cute little birthday thing every year; we love it,” said Mariah Shirley, the facilities and recreation manager with the City of Orem. She takes part in planning events and classes for the fitness center and said they want to stay current. “We want it to stay fresh and new so we want to be watching trends or making sure that we’re adding the right fitness equipment,” Shirley said.
Since the renovation, the number of memberships has nearly doubled. The renovation included the addition of family change rooms, heavy-duty weightlifting equipment, an indoor playground, video game rooms, a warm up area and much more.
“I think the thing I like most is just the variety, there’s a lot you can do,” said Debbie Boone, the programs division manager of Orem’s fitness center. She was the first coordinator hired for the previous fitness center. She said she’s loved seeing the growth of the center over the years, especially with the expansion.
When originally built, the Orem fitness center was the first one in Utah county. “It provided so many great things, but it was just dated and outgrown,” Boone said.
The new fitness center has about 3000 visitors each day. Despite the large number of people the center serves, at more than 130,000 square feet, it is nearly impossible for the space to feel crowded.
“It feels like there’s something for everybody,” Boone said. Among some of its many amenities are basketball courts, gym space, rock climbing, a 50 meter pool, track, racquetball courts and group fitness classes.
To keep up with demand and scheduling, Shirley tracks class attendance and participant feedback. “I hope our residents know that if they have feedback, please give it to us,” Shirley said. “These staff members can and want to exceed previous expectations.”
Bryce Merrill, Orem’s community services executive director, said the resident experience is at the heart of what they do.
“You won’t find a more passionate staff … you won’t find a more trained staff,” Merrill said.
Shirley mentioned that she’s even seen exercise instructors connect with their students outside of class and that one great part of the fitness center is the community it creates.
“People start coming to the fitness class because they want some fitness access, and then all of a sudden you have a group chat for lunch,” Shirley said.
Merrill said those interactions are crucial to a resident’s relationship to the city. He said his goal is to make sure residents love living in Orem. “Maybe they don’t associate their Zumba instructor with the police department, but for us, in terms of building a relationship with residents … we want to make sure that they feel like Orem City is here for them,” Merrill said.
Merrill added that the city provides the space and programs, but the community comes from the people. “I think the residents do the heavy lifting, pun intended,” Merrill said.
Shirley discussed how she’s seen them give the facility personality through this year’s birthday celebrations. During one of the giveaways, an aunt gave the strider bike to her nephew who was celebrating his own birthday. “That’s cute and fun to see that they’re trying to connect their community events with their family events, it’s sweet,” Shirley said.
Stories like that show how the staff are accomplishing their goals to add value to the residents’ experience.
“It’s really a hub for community gatherings and events, and I think it is demonstrative of the city’s investment in the citizens of Orem, we’re willing to invest in the well-being of Orem,” Boone said.
To keep residents informed, Shirley works with Sydney Wong to create a semi-annual magazine detailing what the fitness center has to offer.
If you’re looking to take advantage of the fitness center, Merrill recommended walking on the treadmill at sunset, overlooking the warm colors as they land on Mount Timponogos outside the view of the windows.
Merrill called the fitness center the “epicenter of the recreation department” and said it’s ready to serve Orem for years to come.