NEW EQUIPMENT — The Martin Luther King Recreation Center has new commercial-grade exercise equipment — and has added a two-hour “seniors only” workout slot weekdays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. for anyone aged 60 and over. Celebrating the grand reopening, from left, Mingo Junction Mayor Judy Ruckman, Jefferson Health District Director Andrew Henry, Mayor Jerry Barilla, Parks and Recreation Director Lori Fetherolf, City Manager Jim Mavromatis and Councilors Royal Mayo and Dave Albaugh. -Linda Harris

STEUBENVILLE — City officials gathered at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center to look at its newly renovated fitness center.

Parks and Recreation Director Lori Fetherolf said she withdrew about $22,000 from the Parks and Recreation Department’s capital fund. The remaining $43,000 was a grant from the Jefferson Health District. While everyone can use the equipment, two hours per week

“This equipment is for everyone” said Fetherolf. “But we want to make sure that we welcome seniors here, which is why starting tomorrow we will open from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. every morning, Monday through Friday, specifically for seniors.”

Hours reserved for seniors aim to offer those aged 60 and over a welcoming environment for “Practice and have fun. »

“We’re also looking to add some things, like a monthly blood pressure check or a monthly donut and coffee event, things like that,” she said, adding that seniors could also enjoy other attractions, like pickleball. “So the whole center will be open to older people who can come and do whatever they want. »

So what’s new? Pretty much everything, Fetherolf said.

“We have almost all new equipment here” she said. “We have brand new cardio bikes, treadmills, climbers and ellipticals. (We also) received new weight training equipment, dumbbells and kettlebells, new free weights and new weight machines.

Health District Director Andrew Henry said the department received just over $300,000 in grants for various projects, “and I had the opportunity to help the city of Steubenville” as they neared the end of the subsidy period.

“So we went to see if they had any needs” Henry said “You know, the MLK Center is an untapped resource and they really want to expand the facility, so they took advantage of this opportunity to purchase this great fitness equipment here for the gym.”

City Manager Jim Mavromatis said it was “an excellent partnership”.

“Without their money and ours, this could not have happened,” he said. “Exercise is (important) and I encourage everyone, especially older people, to take advantage of it.”

Councilor Royal Mayo, who championed the project, said: “It took a while, but we were finally able to get commercial grade material here. Now we can launch some programs and help improve the lives and help people in the community.