Welcoming wellness

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MCCORDSVILLE — Amy Laker is an avid runner. She’s had a gym membership for years, and her neighbors are used to seeing her jogging through the subdivision when the weather is nice enough.

But Monday, the McCordsville resident had a new view for her exercise routine as she hit the treadmills at the new Hancock Wellness Center in town.

Hancock Regional Hospital’s second wellness center location opened its doors to the public for the first time Monday. Crowds of residents flocked to the physical health and medical center on North County Road 600W in McCordsville to work out and tour the facility on its opening day.

Hospital officials believe the 37,000-square-foot facility will become a staple for those living on county’s north side, offering exercise equipment as well as physical therapy and rehabilitation services to clients with medical needs.

McCordsville residents have waited more than a year for the facility to become a reality. Before the wellness center opened this week, McCordsville residents didn’t have many options for gyms and exercise centers, and if they wanted to use the wellness center, they had to drive to Greenfield.

Building plans were announced in 2014, and ground broke shortly after. Weather delayed construction several times until a grand opening was set last month.

The facility carried a final price tag of about $8 million, officials said.

The new center is located a few minutes from Laker’s house, and she signed her family up for a membership more than five months ago.

And she wasn’t the only one.

More than 1,400 registered as members before the facility opened, surpassing what hospital officials had projected early registration would be, said David Flench, director of Hancock Wellness Center.

After a long wait for the opening, fitness enthusiasts were eager to get inside and exercise Monday, Flench said. Dozens were lined up at the front door waiting for the 5:30 a.m. opening, and a steady flow of people visited the facility throughout the day, he said.

The McCordsville center differs in several ways from its Greenfield counterpart, said Yvette Dixon, program and operations manager at Hancock Wellness Center.

It offers much of the same strength and cardio exercise equipment, has similar exercise rooms and a full basketball court, she said.

But the McCordsville center features an upstairs walking track and two swimming pools — a regulation-length lap pool and a warm-water therapy pool that is heated to 90 degrees.

Exercise classes have already been scheduled, with several taking place Monday after opening, Dixon said. Further clinical programs regarding nutrition, diabetes, arthritis and other topics will be integrated as the McCordsville center grows, she said.

Healthy snacks, smoothies and made-to-order sandwiches are available at McCordsville’s Health Hut Café, and urgent-care doctors are on hand for clinical health needs.

The new wellness center is already attracting a diverse group of people, Dixon said.

Until now, Laker said there wasn’t a gym similar to the wellness center in town where her family could go exercise. She is looking forward to visiting the place regularly, using its workout equipment and participating in exercise classes while her 11-year-old son utilizes the basketball court, she said.

McCordsville resident Madelon Ward visited the wellness center Monday with some friends, who signed up for a membership last week.

Exercise helps the 72-year-old stay strong physically and sharp mentally, she said. She’s ready to join the different fitness programs and is happy to have a facility just up the road from her house.

“I think it means we’ll actually go,” Shelley Hayse, Wade’s friends, said with a laugh.

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The Hancock Wellness Center in McCordsville is now open. Those interested in membership should call 317-335-6939 or visit the facility at 8505 N. Clearview Drive in McCordsville. 

A membership grants patrons access to both the Greenfield and McCordsville centers. 

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The Hancock Wellness Center in McCordsville features:

– The Health Hut Cafe

– Jungle Club kids center

– Treadmills and cardio equipment

– Weight-lifting machines and strength equipment 

– Men’s and women’s saunas and steam rooms

– Lap swim pool

– Heated physical therapy pool

– Full basketball court

– Exercise room

– Second-floor walking track

– Clinical physical therapy and rehabilitation 

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