History

2023

Ever popular for parents of young kids, Romp & Stomp returned after an extra long break due to COVID. Halloween put on a new look this year as well, hosting 599 kids for Trunk or Treat. Group Cycle was now an offering again for members. We honored our veterans in a way that will allow veterans to never pay a joiners fee and we collected Treats for Troops. Last but not least, we unveiled a new badge to symbolize our 15 year anniversary and with that, we offered exclusive 15 year Centre gear.

2022

For the very first time, we took sports on the road by offering Wee Sports to local child care businesses. Another foray into new territory was opening Infant and Toddlers child care, making the community rooms into what they are now, a home away from home for kids ages 6 weeks to 3 years. This year also was the beginning of Centre Member Rewards. We are incredibly grateful for our members and via loyalty and participation, we’ve now been rewarded members with Reward Bucks to be used on programs, registrations, and merchandise.

2021

The Centre rose to the occasion when a local yoga studio announced their closing. We took over the heated yoga space and operated it for just about a year when the baton was passed to new owners. This was a blast of an adventure in offering our members new options.

2020

The future as 2020 played out wasn’t what anyone had imagined it to be. We closed for COVID at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, March 17 and wouldn’t reopen until Wednesday, May 27 with many bumps in the road but with a renewed passion for what we do and how we could do it. We took fun outside with an outdoor Kickball League. We converted Corn Fest to a drive-thru event to maintain distance. We offered fitness videos produced by our instructors and focused our weekly member email on good news, jokes, and recipes. COVID proved to be formidable but did not crush us.

2019

The end of 2018 marked the completion of an entire decade of bringing amazing programs and activities to thousands of people. This year we received a NRACF grant to fund Senior Chefs classes, taught by a Westfields dietician. To begin our 11th year, we celebrated and looked to the future.

2018

In April of 2018 we would hit our all-time high of 2537 memberships. We added a large play structure in Kids Kove which is still going strong today and is a favorite of kids. A new additional NuStep machine meant more seniors and members undergoing rehab would have access to utilize. This year also meant 10 years of Camp Centre with over 1000 total kids participating in our summer programs.

2017

In the first 8 years of existence, there were clear leaders in our Centre community. We honored Bill Buell (Centre Board Member emeriti), Jackie Huff (Membership Experience Manager extraordinaire), Tate Wheeler and Kristen Cooan (boots on the ground managers who helped make the Centre a success), and Tom & Pat Jonas (incredibly supportive and loyal Centre Members). Aquatics saw some big changes when we broke ground for the Splash Pad and took out the pool mushroom and replaced it with the pool play structure, making our goal of being a destination for families become more real. This was also the year to make the big move to online registration. Forgoing the manual process opened easier registration for both members and community participants.

2016

A successful Helping Hands campaign provided guests and members to the AquaObstacle Course. We expanded our work with Westfields Hospital & Clinic by offering a Cancer Recovery Class along with a flu shot clinic. A no longer available Community Commons building, spurred us to offer Walk at the Centre during the winter months, free of charge, for community members to walk at the Centre.

2015

This year we found more ways to give back to our community. Our Give From the Heart supported Turningpoint, New Richmond Gap Fund, Grace Place, and Five Loaves. Cycle St Croix was a bike ride to support the New Richmond pathways and trails. The first of now annual free summer memberships for middle school students began with 90 kids taking advantage of the opportunity. The locker rooms received upgraded lockers, taking out the 1995 lockers and creating a new, brighter space.

2014

December 31, 2013 was the end of 5 very successful years for the Centre. The Minnow Slide and the now retired Wiggle Bridge added more options for fun in the pool. Video Exercise Bikes and Fitness on Demand made new types of workouts available in the fitness center. We celebrated with WCCO when Jamie Yuccas and Goin’ To The Lake series decided to traverse the Wiggle Bridge. We are happy to share that she was successful in crossing it!

2013

Being in our newly built spaces lead to us being able to maximize our programs. Camp Centre hit capacity with 94 kids each and every day of summer. Not to be remiss, we installed the popular pool climbing wall.

2012

In March, we received approval for construction and demolition of the west end of the armory. The new areas created by the expansion were new community rooms, which are now Infant and Toddler Child Care spaces, our Preschool and 4K classrooms, and a brand new Kids Kove. We celebrated a re-grand opening of our beautiful new rooms.

2011

Membership continued to grow but so did the number of people in our community that needed support. Centre Cares was established to assure that anyone interested in a membership wouldn’t be turned away based on their ability to pay. As of the end of 2022, Centre Cares has had 2382 memberships ($668,400 in assistance).

2010

The Centre continued to see incredible membership growth. With a completed fundraising campaign we renovated the 10,000 square foot gymnasium with a new hardwood floor replacing the outdated sport court and converting 4000 square feet into the Westfields and Cross Training Studios.

2009

The Centre opened on January 1 with 700 memberships transferred from the YMCA. Within 2 months we crushed a 999 membership goal. The year was finished with a total of 1545 memberships and presented the need for expansion. The It’s Time Campaign kicked off at the end of the year aimed for renovations in 2010.

2008

Four years after opening, the YMCA announced their plan to end their lease with the city and leave New Richmond. A newly formed board of directors negotiated with the YMCA and created the Centre as we know it today.

2004

The City of New Richmond and the YCMA reached an agreement to operate the pool and Wellness Center. The area between the Wellness Center and Aquatic Center was roofed over to create a studio and fitness center. This is now the RCU Studio and FNC Bank Fitness Center.

1995

The City of New Richmond opened a newly constructed Friday Aquatic Center, which is still the pool we enjoy today. Holy Family Hospital opened a Wellness Centre in a renovated armory.

1951

The foundation was established when the City of New Richmond built the armory; now the gymnasium and Westfields Studio.