Fun at the YMCA

We used to go to the beautiful, old YWCA on Wells Street in Fort Wayne. It was housed in a campus of yellow brick buildings that had been a Catholic School, chapel, convent and orphanage at one time. But when the YWCA closed about ten years ago and the YM built one on the north side, we moved into the program at the new YMCA DuPont Road area facility.

There are several separate YMCAs in the Fort Wayne area. Usually we go to the above, the Parkview Family YMCA on Dawsons Creek Blvd. I like the indoor track that encircles the upper level, looking down over the fitness center and basketball courts.

The Y has a nice indoor pool and an outdoor splash park. In my mind, the splash park would have been better to have been made an outdoor swimming pool - I don't think the splash park has a lot to offer. I suppose the way it is doesn't require lifeguard staff, but to me it would have been worth it. The indoor pool is nice with lap lanes and a section for more open swim/play - and features a tall, enclosed slide. The individual family changing rooms, in addition to the male and female separate locker rooms, are a nice feature.

There are group exercise classes, a whole schedule of them - I personally prefer instead to use weight machines and stretch on the mats. I'd also rather use the track than a treadmill or other such stationary device, but that is just personal preference. The kids enjoy the game room with pool and foos ball tables, etc. They also use the rock climbing wall.

There is a kids' gym for kids eight and younger, and child care also. For a mom of young children desiring to work out, a place to drop a child in a facility such as this can be a huge blessing. Like other businesses, the Y tends to be open even if there are school closings - but sometimes the YMCAs are forced to cancel programs, shut down or close early because of road conditions, so it helps to check.

With all its windows, the free weight room housed in a sunroom-type annex is a nice feature. In the main room, there are lots of TV screens for the treadmill aficionados. Other features include saunas, a whirlpool in the pool area, racquetball and squash courts. There are some classrooms and even Dance Dance Revolution, (never tried it).

It's really a terrific YMCA, and were it summertime you could go outside and walk or run the lovely paved trail in the acreage around it - but now, about the only way to get through would be on snowshoes or cross-country skis. Hey, that's a thought. I bet somebody has tried it.