CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The new Eastway Regional Recreation Center is rising up in the middle of a 100-acre park in Charlotte's Eastway neighborhood. The center, a 100,000 square foot facility located at 3150 Eastway Park Drive, is part fitness center, part waterpark, part community center.
“The East side of town was very vocal about, hey look, we don’t have anything like this, and we really need it,” said recreational manager Daniel Leatherman.
Mecklenburg County listened, and the center is now a reality. For those looking for fitness, the center offers an indoor track, two levels of exercise equipment, and a state-of-the-art indoor gymnasium.
“This is perfect for indoor soccer, kickball, a lot of youth athletics like basketball where you don’t want the balls flying around,” Leatherman said, referring to an enclosed space inside the gym.
The center also features an 8-lane indoor lap pool and an adjoining kids' waterpark with a slide, lazy river, and a zero-entry toddler pool.
“We’ll serve users as young as 6 months old in some of our swim lesson programs, we’ll serve users sometimes over 100 years old in some of our senior programs, so everyone in between has a place here in this facility,” said Leatherman.
Located on 100 acres, the center also has a nature center, trails, community gardens and disc golf.
But Leatherman says health and wellness are not only the only focus of the center. He said the center will also be a resource to the community, featuring a private event space with a full kitchen, both of which are available to be reserved by members.
There’s also a technology lab with computers, printers and a sound booth, where members are able to use the computers provided or bring in their own.
“We’ll have different programs in there, everything from graphic design to resume building, teen programs are going to be popular in here,” he said.
Leatherman says the center will also offer senior programming including inclusion and therapeutics -- and youth programming, including sports leagues, summer camps, afterschool programs, and arts and crafts, with some scholarships available.
Memberships range from $65 a month for a family pass which includes up to five family members, to $22 a month for those 17 and under. Leatherman, however, said the county is currently running a half-off program, allowing youth to join for $11 a month.
Contact Ashley Daley at adaley@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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