Immaculate High unveils new ‘state-of-the-art’ fitness center for students
DANBURY — Immaculate High School has unveiled a new fitness center that they hope students will be able to start using over the summer.
The school held a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony last month, displaying the community’s “collaborative effort,” Mary Maloney, the school’s president said.
“We’re extremely blessed to have something so sophisticated for our students,” Maloney said.
The opening date of the fitness center has not yet been set in stone, but a press release from the school noted it would be determined by CDC school guidelines. Maloney hopes it can be open to students in July when a new fitness trainer is scheduled to start.
“They’re [the students] ecstatic. This is something, it’s just extraordinary. They’re definitely wanting to use the facility, excited about having personal health and fitness plans for them,” she said.
What was previously a storage and utility room adjacent to the dining room is now a shiny fitness hub with stationary bikes, treadmills, ellipticals and more meant to serve as a location for students to use during gym class, or work with a trainer and coaches.
Its invention came from the school’s board members who were looking at the strategic plan in place and desire to expand health programs.
A board member, who is an alumni’s parent, drew up a design for the space’s potential use and organized community allies to help bring the vision to life, according to Maloney. Michael Basile, a board member who helped shape plans, said it’s a “great option” for the entire stuednt body that can enhance their experiences.
Basile said the project was entirely funded by donations and whether it was “monetary or manpower,” every contribution to the team effort was “critical.”
The construction began approximately a year ago and endured some intermittent pauses amid the pandemic, according to Maloney. Though, all of the work put in created a “state-of-the-art” facility, the release said.
In light of the collaboration, the school dedicated the center to the Basile, Edward Killian III and Rizzo families, as well as community partners who pitched in. Each contributor was listed on an honorary plaque by the center’s entrance.
“It was an amazing support of the school and school’s programs, and students,” Maloney said.