By Brad Ziegler
The Hillcrest Community Center has new exercise equipment, just in time for those seeking to fulfill their New Year’s resolutions!
More than $100,000 worth of equipment has been added at the Hillcrest Center, located at 10401 Hillcrest Road near the 3 Trails Crossing, the first new exercise equipment at the Center in more than ten years. The equipment was purchased with a portion of the $80 million that was received by KCMO Parks and Recreation from general obligation bonds which were approved by Kansas City voters in November 2022.
In addition to new exercise equipment, the funding has been used for renovations and improvements to Hillcrest and other Parks and Recreation community centers, as well as to city owned pools and park facilities. Structural improvements are currently being made at Hillcrest and carpet replacement is planned for later this year. These efforts have been a part of an initiative of the Parks and Recreation Department to increase the number of its relevant offerings to their members and to raise awareness of their availability.
The new equipment includes three treadmills and ellipticals, two recumbent bikes and a recumbent stepper, two stair climbers and nine pieces of strength equipment to provide full body strength workouts.
Lane’ Johnson, the Public Information Office for the Parks and Recreation department explained that the new equipment has been well received. “The residents and staff are thrilled to finally have upgraded cardio and strength equipment at not only Hillcrest Community Center,” she said, “but at all ten community centers.” She hinted that additional enhancements to the exercise opportunities provided at the Center may be in store in the future, saying that staff “will continue to listen to customer feedback and after several months of listening, determine if any tweaks are necessary for the fitness area.”
There will be an informational session introducing the new equipment at the Hillcrest Center on Friday, January 19, from 1-2pm with additional Fitness Equipment Information Tours planned for January 26 at 1pm and February 2 at 2:30pm.
Hillcrest Community Center is open seven days a week and offers $5 daily fees, $30 per month memberships or $300 annual memberships. Reduced daily fees and memberships are available to seniors.