Rutherford College YMCA to offer around-the-clock fitness

Although its doors won’t officially swing open for another couple of months, more than 50 people have already signed up for memberships at the newly launched Rutherford College YMCA.

Plans for the new Y were first unveiled in September for the building, which for decades housed College Pharmacy on Malcolm Boulevard just across the street from the campus of UNC Health Blue Ridge Valdese.

“We’re so excited for what is happening here and the enthusiasm that is being generated in this community,” said Kara Cloninger, an executive with the YMCA of the Catawba Valley.

The new Rutherford College facility will be part of Catawba Valley Y, which includes the Phifer Family Y in Morganton, the Hickory Foundation Y in downtown Hickory, the Adrian L. Shuford Jr. Y in Conover, the Lincoln County Y in Lincolnton, and Sally’s Y in Denver.

Cloninger and Catawba Valley Y Marketing Director Margaret Ann Graffagnino visited the Rutherford College site with a reporter from The Paper on Thursday morning.

Peering into the gutted section of the old pharmacy where the Y will be located, the reporter raised a skeptical eye that the facility will be ready for a January opening.

“Oh, no,” said Cloninger. “We are moving forward confidently toward that date. Later, we will announce when an open house will be held and later, we’ll have a full-fledged ribbon cutting ceremony.”

The new Y, Graffagnino explained, will be open with key access 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“It’s a facility that people can stop at on their way to work on their way home from work, or at any time that suits their schedule,” she said. “Accessibility is the key word here.”

The Rutherford College YMCA will be a non-staffed facility, but, while no staff will be stationed there, the YMCA will regularly visit for cleaning, maintenance, and other operational needs, Graffagnino said.

“This will be a facility that can serve shift workers, government workers, and all those whose schedules don’t match up with the hours of a regular gym,” Cloninger said.

Equipment to be available at the new Y includes treadmills, stationary bikes, stair climbers, strength training machines as well as free weights, and a matted area for stretching and using free weights.

Persons wanting to purchase early memberships or learn more about the new facility may go to the Catawba Valley website at ymcacv.org, or visit their newly created Facebook page, “Rutherford College YMCA.”

Patrons may purchase a membership that is exclusive to the Rutherford College Y or one that gives them access to all five of the Catawba Valley Y’s locations.

“The Y is about far more than fitness,” Cloninger concluded. “It’s about community and building community. We want to give people an excellent health and wellness facility they can use but also give them an opportunity to build relationships and to find new friends.”