Norman city officials to break ground on 'state-of-the-art' senior wellness center
NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) – Construction will soon begin on what Norman city leaders are touting as a state-of-the-art senior wellness center.
City officials will break ground on the Norman Forward Senior Wellness Center at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 1 at the Norman Regional Health System’s (NRHS) Porter Campus.
“We hope residents come out and join us in celebrating this important milestone in the project and hear more about what’s to come,” said Jason Olsen, City of Norman Parks and Recreation Director.
The senior wellness center is part of the Norman Forward project, which is funded by a special sales tax that voters approved in 2015.
The center is projected to cost $12.4 million. The Norman Forward sales tax initiative will fund $8.5 million of the project; the other $3.9 million will come from CARES Act funds.
Healthy Living & Fitness, Inc., a non-profit that currently operates the first MAPS 3 Senior Health and Wellness Center in Oklahoma City, will operate the center.
The wellness center will be 30,000 square feet and will include the following amenities:
- Indoor walking track
- Multiple fitness areas with locker rooms
- Multipurpose and art specific classrooms
- Lounge areas
- Full kitchen for events and programming
- Outdoor pickleball courts
- Lap pool
“There’s a need across the nation for innovative programming for active, older adults,” Claire Dowers-Nichols, Executive Director of Healthy Living & Fitness, Inc. said. “Programming at the new center in Norman will be member-driven and based on the six dimensions of wellness to include: Vocational, Emotional, Intellectual, Physical, Social, and Spiritual Wellness. We’ll be working with the community to find out how we can best serve their wellness needs.”
Mayor Breea Clark said the center will provide a much-needed space for the city's active adults.
“I want to thank Norman residents for passing Norman Forward back in 2015 and being willing to provide valuable feedback during the design phases of this project,” Clark said. “This has truly been a community effort and hopefully residents will come out and celebrate getting work started on this exciting project!”