YMCA branches add space

By FLORI MEEKS
Chronicle Correspondent
Several area YMCA branches have added new equipment and more space to their facilities.
Renovation projects were completed late last year at the Clay Road and Langham Creek Family YMCA branches, and work is expected to be completed at the Cypress Creek Family branch in February.
Clay Road
Members at the Clay Road site, 10655 Clay Road, have two new group exercise areas. One is 2,600 square feet, and the other is 1,405 square feet, marketing director Kari Robles said.
The Clay Road branch also has expanded its wellness center, where the cardiovascular and strength training equipment is, by 2,190 square feet. The expansion brings the cardiovascular center's size to 44,000 square feet.
The expansion was started last April and completed in December, Robles said. We did it in response to member feedback," she said. So far, everybody's loving it."
In addition to adding space to the building, the Clay Road branch has added cardiovascular exercise equipment with personal screens, which allow users to watch television.
It also renovated the Child Watch check-in area, added interior and exterior cameras, replaced locker room floors and replaced lobby furniture.
We look almost new now," Robles said, adding that the branch opened in 2003.
Cypress Creek
The Cypress Creek branch at 19915 Texas 249, which opened in 1979, began its improvement project in September. Renovations to the main building were completed in December.
The 12,000-square feet addition will open next month. The YMCA staff will host an open house there 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, with tours, food and games.
We'll get everyone in to see what happened to the building," marketing and Child Watch director Stacey Morella said.
Improvements to the existing building include a renovated lobby, new cardiovascular equipment, a caf and a beginners' fitness room.
The addition will include a Child Watch wing with indoor and outdoor playgrounds and a learning center, a group exercise room and a Pilates room.
The expansion project at the Langham Creek Family YMCA included an 11,000 square foot addition and renovations to the existing building at 16725 Longenbaugh.
The facility offers new cardiovascular equipment with TV viewing and access to satellite radio. It is using cardiovascular and strength machines, which measure users' fitness progress.
It's sort of like having an electric personal trainer," said Kara McSwain, Child Watch coordinator.
Langham Creek
The Langham Creek facility has expanded its spinning class space by 3,000 square feet and added 5,500 square feet to the Child Watch area.
The improvement projects were completed in early September, and the facility finished moving in by the end of September, McSwain said.
The Langham Creek Family YMCA started in the 1980s as an outreach program offering sports programs, and it opened its current building in 2004.