EVERETT — It’s not a fitness center with loud music, grunts and scantily clad people dripping in sweat.
Most wear sensible clothes and street shoes. After a workout, they head to bingo, not a shower.
The $56,000 workout room at the Carl Gipson Senior Center opened Sept. 23 and is free for members.
It has dumbbells and a bench to pump iron. Or take a spin on eight rides: Two stationary upright bikes, two recumbent bikes, two elliptical trainers, two upper-body ergometer machines, one which is wheelchair accessible so users can roll up in their chair for exercise.
The machines have screens that stream Netflix or CNN or show a video of a scenic mountain road that moves at the same pace as your pedaling.
There isn’t a personal trainer on hand, though center staff will gladly assist.
The senior center in downtown Everett is a hub for people older than 50 with varied interests. There are classes, billiards, computers, Wii bowling, hot lunches and good coffee (only 60 cents, with choice of five flavored syrups).
But something was missing.
“The impetus was from the parks director to come up with a fitness center here,” said Bob Dvorak, director of Carl Gipson Senior Center of Everett. “We’re always looking at more fitness areas for our people to continue to improve on their health.”
The question was where to put it. Members had a say-so.
The billiards players didn’t want to give up their room. The dining room wasn’t an option. That’s where bingo and dances are held. Besides, exercising under the influence of the inviting lunch aroma could be a detriment.
The sunroom, tucked away from the action, was perfect.
One side is glass, opening out onto the plaza. Inside is a wall of stained glass.
The space had been used for things such as karaoke, bridge and cribbage. These activities were moved to other areas.
“No one got displaced,” Dvorak said.
The workout room was self-funded from grants, events and money raised by the coffee shop, named Carl’s Cafe in honor of Gipson, who died earlier this month and was a regular at the center.
The fitness center is gradually catching on with members.
Tana Brosius, 71, did 4 miles in 34 minutes on what she called “the bicycle thing.”
“I haven’t gone that far in ages,” she said. “I used to walk all the time. Not anymore. My knees won’t let me.”
Brosius didn’t need music or streaming videos to keep her entertained. Looking out the window was entertaining enough, though she kept an eye on her progress.
“I watched the screen to see how many calories I used up,” she said. “Not as much as you think.”
Doris Moran, 83, got in a quick workout before taking her volunteer post selling lunch tickets.
“I’ve started riding the bicycle because I’m not taking enough time at home to exercise,” she said. “I went on the elliptical today, which I’ve never done before. It was different because it was like I was going backwards.”
Her husband also tried something new, the ergometer machine.
“They could take the seat off and my husband who is in a wheelchair could drive right up to it,” she said.
After that, he went to stretch-and-tone, a regular seated exercise class that led the couple to join the center.
The center also has classes in hula and clogging, with plans to offer yoga.
Jim Douglas, 74, uses the weights once or twice a week.
“You got to have that motivation. Sometimes if I don’t feel like doing it I just don’t,” the retired sailor said.
The new fitness center makes it easier to push onward.
Membership at the center is $30 a year.
Andrea Brown: abrown@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.
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