Blue Bicycle showcases remodeled gym at grand reopening

The new wall inscription reads “Blue Bicycle provides a place for the community to gather, belong and move.” Photo by Kathy Feist

Blue Bicycle showcases changes in Grand Reopening

By Kathy Feist

Jan Schmidt likes to joke that Blue Bicycle Health and Fitness Center has been undergoing reconstruction since she purchased it four years ago. 

To showcase those changes, she is throwing a Grand Re-Opening on Saturday, January 25, from 8 am to 6 pm at its location in the Red Bridge Shopping Center. 

The event will feature tours of the facility, a free class, healthy snacks, and prizes. Fitness instructors will be available for questions. 

Once known as Bene-Fit, the fitness center has experienced sweeping changes. The space has doubled in size, been repainted, had new flooring and matting installed and new windows and spaces created. 

Schmidt has  added a cycling area for spin classes, expanded the weight area, carved out an impressive fitness boxing space, and is in the process of updating the lobby. 

She has added new personnel, including three fitness instructors, a massage therapist, and an in-house chiropractor. Both Schmidt and on-staff trainer Cody Gillenwater have masters degrees in kinesiology/exercise science. 

She has increased the number of available classes, including yoga, spinning, power pump, boot camp, and even an old favorite, step aerobics.

Schmidt’s goal is to build a community around health and wellness.

In fact, community support was one of the reasons Schmidt bought the fitness center from her former boss. “It’s what led me to take the jump in the first place,” she explains. “Even when the [Red Bridge] shopping center was struggling and empty, there was a little community in here. They supported me.” 

Friendships have formed within the neighborhood gym. It’s not unusual for members to plan outings or lunches after a class. Or to compete together in a 5K or the gym’s challenges.

Should visitors not understand the purpose of Schmidt’s hard work, a message has been inscribed on the wall: “Blue Bicycle provides a place for the community to gather, belong and move.” 

For many, a move to belong to a community is the first step to health. 

Blue Bicycle Health and Fitness Center is located at 11128 Holmes Rd. For more information, visit www.bluebikefitness.com.