Tue 12th May 2009 12:00 PM
Don Mitchell has already pegged it
the place for him.
"I joined up this past weekend because of the pool, especially,"
Mitchell said, clutching his gym bag outside the Ray and Joan Community Kroc
Center Monday morning.
The lanky Rathdrum man hadn’t necessarily arrived at a quarter to 5 to be the
first on opening day.
He just wanted to nab a lane before they filled up, he explained, eyeing some
towel-toting folks slipping through the already open door.
Because for him, he said, the Olympic-sized pool means more than an emotional
outlet.
"I’m using it to recover from a medical condition, so it’s necessary for
me to get well," the 62-year-old said. "I expect to use all the
facilities, but I’ll use that the most."
It’s a one-of-a-kind relationship, a person’s interaction with a community
center.
Members base their loyalty off a slew of prerequisites -- reliable equipment
for a triathlete, a peaceful environment for an expecting mother, a spacious
basketball court for sibling showdowns.
So the thin morning crowd on opening
day at the Kroc Center was unified by a single aim: Testing how the center
might fit their lives.
"First of all, all the equipment needs to work and be updated -- I work
out seven days a week," declared Coeur d’Alene resident Jim Byrd.
His private club isn’t necessarily up to par, the lean 57-year-old admitted,
and his five-day Kroc pass will determine whether he makes a switch.
Above all, he wants a friendly interaction with the staff and other members, he
said.
"I work out of my home, so that’s my only social interaction," he
chuckled.
Harry Whitman, 71, just wanted a clean, peaceful place to pound the treadmill
where the music isn’t too loud.
"I’ll pretty much use everything -- cardio equipment, swimming pool, steam
room -- I don’t know. I still have to check out what they’ve got and how it
suits me," he said.
The four members of the Symons family wanted to try out the facilities as soon
as they were available, and none had trouble making it to the entryway at 5:15,
including 11-year-old Caleb and 13-year-old Josh.
"It’s just something new and exciting," said their mother, Shari.
"We hope to use it all -- the track, the workout equipment, the weights,
all that good stuff."
The family also biked to the center’s church service on Sunday, and plans to do
so many weekends down the road.
The boys were just eager to play basketball, Caleb shrugged.
"We’ve been waiting to work out for a really long while, and we didn’t
have any place to go before," he said.
Darryl Heisey, 45, pointed through the window to the children’s pool and lazy
river area, still closed because of incorrect slide dimensions. It’s set to
open later this month.
The amenities are crucial for his clients at the Kootenai County Veterans
Service Office, he said.
"It’s a great thing for people with physical disabilities, they can use
that for resistance work," he said. "It’s designed so people can get
out of their wheelchairs and get right in the pool."
Jon and Michelle Brandel, a couple in their 30s, were on their way to the lane
pool.
"I’m pregnant, so it’s something I can do that’s good for me,"
Michelle said.
Jon plans to paddle beside her every morning they can make it out of bed, he
added.
"She’s getting bigger and I need to get smaller, so we figured why not do
it together?" he said.
Maj. John Chamness, facility executive director, had arrived early to greet the
first guests.
"Oh, it’s fantastic," he said of the light morning turnout. "I’m
just amazed people can get up so early to work out."
He wanted people to see the staff offering any needed assistance, he added.
"We’re really trying to build a place that’s for the community," he
said.
No one would agree more than Patrick and Joe Loftus.
Both members of the Coeur d’Alene Swim Team, they shuffled to the door at
quarter to 6 to check out the swim lanes and prepare for when their team starts
practicing there on the 21st.
"Before this we trained in Liberty Lake across the state line at 5:30 in
the morning," said Patrick, 15.
"...In a really tiny pool," his 13-year-old brother added.
"It was difficult," Patrick nodded. They anticipate spending
afternoons at the center, too, he added.
"There’s not only the pool, but also the gym area, so we can get together
with friends here," Patrick said. "So we’re really glad for this
place."
By Alecia Warren
Staff Writer
The Coeur d’Alene Press
