A walk-through of the Choice Wellness Center

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Visitors to the Choice Wellness Center won’t even need to go inside to get a feel for the facility’s purpose, the consulting architect told Grand Forks Park District officials Monday.

The big windows at the entry will capture light that will “serve as a beacon, a lantern, sending the message that is a place where you can find hope,” said Brian Beckler of the Denver consulting firm OLC Architecture.

Once inside, visitors will find a fitness facility that is considerably bigger and more diverse than the decaying Center Court Fitness. Choice will be three times bigger and will include four water components, according to the schematic design that outlines the use of every inch of the 156,000-square-foot building that will be at the southern edge of the city limits, just east of Washington Street.

The project is in its infant stages, with digging for infrastructure ongoing. Construction will start in the spring, with an August 2012 completion. Beckler took commissioners on a virtual walking tour, starting at the main door facing west.

The building will have an open, airy feel, as people using the walking/jogging track on the second floor will look over the six tennis courts, two basketball/volleyball courts and the therapy, leisure, splash and lap pools. Both floors will have fitness areas, with weights, treadmills and other exercise equipment.

In contrast, Center Court has the tennis and fitness areas, but little else. Choice will also have dedicated spaces for renters Altru Health System and the USDA’s Human Nutrition Lab, which will conduct obesity research.

Beckler said his company has helped to build 36 wellness facilities that are connected with medical components. OLC designed the Dickinson, N.D., wellness center that has more than doubled its membership goal and is pulling a profit.

“Dickinson has more emphasis on programming and recreation while the focus here is more on wellness,” Beckler said. “The difference here is all the community partnerships.”

Cam Tweten, manager of Center Court, said the new offerings will “sell a lot more memberships than we have now.”

Reach Bakken at (701) 780-1125; (800) 477-6572, ext. 125; or send e-mail to rbakken@gfherald.com.

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