Crystal Lake residents petition park district to buy Northwestern Medicine gym - Shaw Local

Jack Jacobs of Cary, 80, told the Crystal Lake Park District committee that helium “didn’t mean to beryllium dramatic” but their treatment connected the soon-to-be-closing Northwestern Medicine Fitness Center successful Crystal Lake was a “decision that could impact [his] lifespan.”

Jacobs and dozens much attended the parkland district’s committee gathering Thursday to implore the parkland commissioners to see trying to bargain the fittingness center, which Northwestern Medicine precocious announced would beryllium closing Dec. 30.

More than 260 radical besides person signed a petition, sent to some the parkland territory and Northwestern Medicine, asking them to fig retired however to support the installation open.

Park commissioners showed immoderate enactment for the thought but cautioned it was speculative, and nary substantive discussions had taken spot with either Northwestern Medicine oregon among parkland territory enactment astir however the fittingness halfway could beryllium acquired.

The residents’ concerns astir the closure chiefly impact the fittingness center’s unsocial facilities – successful particular, a warm-water excavation that galore said is simply a important portion of their wellness and fittingness regimen.

Dozens of assemblage members petitioned the Crystal Lake Park District during their gathering connected Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, to look into purchasing the Northwestern Medicine gym owed to adjacent astatine the extremity of the year. (Aaron Dorman)

“I recognize wherever Northwestern is coming from, but that installation is much than conscionable bricks and mortar,” Jacobs said. “It’s a fabulous abstraction that has kept maine distant from a wheelchair. I don’t request h2o slides oregon to aquatics laps. I request that therapy pool.”

Another resident, Carol Caruso of Crystal Lake, told the parkland territory commissioners that she has been capable to stave disconnected superior country connected her spine by moving retired successful the therapy pool.

Community members spoke for much than an hour, emphasizing the accidental for the parkland territory and the imaginable for a elder halfway oregon caller assemblage abstraction successful Crystal Lake.

Commissioner Eric Anderson said helium was not successful favour of competing with the backstage assemblage with facilities specified arsenic a gym but agreed the warm-water excavation provided a unsocial plus that could warrant the parkland territory getting involved.

“We are conscionable scratching the aboveground close now,” Anderson said. “But if we tin get Northwestern progressive with us, this is simply a possibility.”

Crystal Lake Park District Commissioner Eric Anderson addresses dozens of assemblage members who petitioned the parkland territory during their gathering connected Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, to look into purchasing the Northwestern Medicine gym owed to adjacent astatine the extremity of the year. (Aaron Dorman)

In a missive sent retired past period to members, Northwestern Medicine said that it was consolidating fittingness halfway services wrong McHenry County to its Huntley location.

The Crystal Lake fittingness halfway “had seen a important diminution successful rank for the past six years,” Northwestern Medicine spokesperson Chris King said this week.

Park territory Assistant Treasurer Jason Heisler said the passionate assemblage members’ stories and requests “brought a teardrop to my eye,” and helium agreed it made consciousness for the parkland territory to look into options.

Park territory Treasurer Debbie Gallagher reiterated that nary ceremonial discussions betwixt Northwestern Medicine and the parkland territory person taken place.

Northwestern Medicine besides is “currently reviewing a assortment of options for the aboriginal usage of the location,” King said.

The Northwestern Medicine Crystal Lake Health and Fitness Center informed members successful precocious October that it would beryllium closing connected Dec. 30, 2022. (Aaron Dorman)