Western Branch Lifestyle Center ownership is transferred July 1
May 26, 2006 — Chesapeake Health and the YMCA of South Hampton Roads, two local not-for-profit organizations, are working together to expand the health, fitness and recreational services available in the Western Branch area of Chesapeake and Northern Suffolk communities. Beginning July 1, the YMCA of South Hampton Roads will assume ownership of the Lifestyle Center in Western Branch, located on Taylor Road.
At its May 26 board meeting, the Chesapeake Hospital Authority approved the agreement to sell the facility and surrounding land required for its operation to the YMCA organization. Establishing a YMCA family center in the Western Branch/ Northern Suffolk communities was a key goal in the YMCA’s Imagine the Possibilities Strategic Plan.
The two organizations, guided by similar missions and a commitment to provide quality health, wellness and fitness programs to the community, structured the arrangement to be as advantageous as possible for everyone.
All the Western Branch Lifestyle Center’s approximately 3,000 members will have the opportunity to maintain their existing Lifestyle membership at existing rates for one year or join the YMCA at the existing Lifestyle fee structure for one year. By doing so, members have access to services at the YMCA’s 12 family centers throughout South Hampton Roads, Northeast North Carolina and the Eastern Shore of Virginia. A YMCA family membership also allows children of all ages to participate in programs and services at the facility. Under Chesapeake Health, membership was available to those ages 13 and older.
The YMCA will retain the current Lifestyle Center staff. The facility currently has about 80 employees. About 30 are considered full time.
The YMCA also plans to invest $300,000 in state-of-the-art fitness equipment for the Western Branch facility. The equipment is expected to be installed July 1-3 with a special branch opening planned for July 4.
As part of the agreement, Chesapeake Health will be the YMCA’s exclusive resource for adult health education offerings at the Western Branch fitness facility.
In recent months, Chesapeake Health has strategically refined its mission to focus resources on its core services in providing acute healthcare to the residents of Hampton Roads. By working with the YMCA, Chesapeake Health leadership wanted to ensure that members of the Western Branch Lifestyle Center had access to the best fitness offerings available.
“Chesapeake Health values fitness and wellness as part of its mission,” said Christopher Mosley, CEO and president of Chesapeake Health. “However, it recognizes – in this environment of declining reimbursements, staffing shortages, escalating costs of clinical equipment and the increasing community need for clinical services – that our core clinical services demand more of our resources.”
Robert Oman, chairman of the Chesapeake Hospital Authority’s Strategic Planning and Facilities Committee echoed that. “Hospitals locally and nationally are making tough decisions in determining how to best serve their communities,” he said. “In this case, the decision was made that it was in the community’s and Chesapeake Health’s best interest to work with the YMCA of South Hampton Roads.”
The YMCA of South Hampton Roads is the 20th largest YMCA organization in the nation, serving more than 110,000 people annually
“This is a great opportunity for two nonprofit agencies to offer health, fitness and recreational services to the local community,” said YMCA of South Hampton Roads Metropolitan Board Chairman Dee Carpenter. “Everyone benefits. The YMCA will continue its 155-year history of helping children, adults and families build a healthy spirit, mind and body while Chesapeake Health can focus on providing the community with dedicated quality healthcare.”
YMCA leaders are putting the finishing touches on a transition plan. A dedicated page on the YMCA’s Web site (www.ymcashr.org) has been developed to provide preliminary information and answer many of the questions interested parties may have.
In addition to its relationship with the YMCA of South Hampton Roads, Chesapeake Health will continue its commitment to serve the healthcare needs of the Western Branch area of Chesapeake. The organization has had a presence in the area for decades, providing Western Branch residents with physical therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, health screenings, community classes, blood drives, swimming lessons and CPR certifications. CGH also owns an office building timeshare in the Western Branch for physicians’ practices.
Currently, Chesapeake Health has plans to expand clinical diagnostic imaging services in the area.
(For more information, contact Joan Stanus at 757.312.6108, ext. 6 at Chesapeake Health, or Terri Reedy at 757.233.9768 at the YMCA of South Hampton Roads.)