by Kristina Stucki

Contributor

What used to be San Juan Fitness and Aquatics is now The Rec, a community recreation center aimed at gathering families and community members for year-round health and fitness. The updated aesthetic and continuing renovations make the long-standing island space feel brand new, and expanded offerings and hours (now open Sundays!) offer more flexibility for members.

The excitement is palpable when walking into the new (old — it was the entrance of a previous iteration of the gym circa the early 2000s) entrance, now called the Lounge.

“There’s Miss Kim!” a little girl points out her swim teacher through the window of what used to be called the Fishbowl – a set of windows overlooking the pool complex. Now a cafe with couches, Wi-Fi and soon offering coffee, smoothies and a limited food menu, the Lounge is the new entrance for the fitness center, which changed ownership in April 2024.

“I’ve worked out at San Juan Fitness and Aquatics for many years – and when I saw it was for sale, I was certain someone was going to buy it and give it a makeover,” new owner Jennifer Whalen said. “And I guess that person was me?” she laughed.

Whalen has little experience in the hospitality business but has spent a lot of time in gyms and fitness facilities across the country while traveling for her other business (business lending and merchant processing). She always wished the island had something similar to what she’d experienced in those other places – especially with the weather forcing fitness indoors so frequently.

“It was a combination of raising our kids here and always wishing we had a rec space for them, and also wishing for the type of fitness center I’d experienced in other places,” she said. “We wanted a year-round facility that would be able to cover all bases. I mean, our children, friends, parents – we wanted a place that everyone could find something that worked for them.”

After seeing the gym was still for sale after a few weeks, she reached out to her longtime employee Greg Moses and her son-in-law Garred Mielke.

“I knew it was going to be a huge undertaking,” Whalen remembered. “But once they were in, we went for it.”

It’s clear that they really went for it. The fitness center has had almost every part of it renovated and has even expanded into neighboring spaces. The Studio, an area for group classes, is newly open along with the Lounge. The family locker room has been completed and is serving as the men’s locker room while that space has its turn for a makeover.

Offerings have also expanded. With the new Studio space comes a whole schedule of classes, with a lot of senior classes in the mix. The group schedule can be found online.

Adult classes for the pool include Masters Swim Class, Waterwalking, AquaFit, Aqua Zumba and Water Aerobics. Kids can take group classes, private swim lessons, come to Family Swim (a life-guarded open pool time for families) or join the competitive swim team (called The Rec’ing Crew Sharks) which practices three times a week for ages 8-18.

Climb San Juan, owned and operated by Patrick McAvoy, has expanded to twice its normal size and is now offering open climb, youth classes, ladies’ nights, couples climbing and aerial silks lessons, and classes for both youth and adults.

Ascend Wrestling, a pee-wee wrestling team led by Coach Travis Berwall, meets in the sports complex three times a week. Crossfit classes are offered by Kevin Stalker every weekday morning and most evenings.

Plans are also in motion for a game room, which will have virtual reality batting cages, treadmills, ping pong, foosball and air hockey. It’s planned to be a hub for kids and teenagers. They also have their UFC license, so events will be aired there in the game room, along with teen pool nights and movie nights.

Other updates and information about future plans, schedules and events can be found on The Rec’s social media accounts.

“Our vision is health and wellness and bringing the community together,” Whalen said. “We’re picturing it being an easy gathering place – ‘Where should we meet? The rec!’ kind of thing. I really think there is something for everyone.”