Suburban Stadiums: Prairie View Community Center and Club Fitness

PRAIRIE VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER AND CLUB FITNESS

Facility and History: The Prairie View Community Center was built in the early 1970s and dedicated in October 1976. It incorporated racquetball and handball courts, fitness rooms, a senior center and gymnasium along with the Park District offices.

The 16 acres of land were purchased in part with a $200,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Outdoor Recreation.

Club Fitness is a 5,000-square-foot facility complete with a variety of personal training equipment and rooms for fitness classes inside the Community Center. It features several treadmills, elipticals, rowers, climbers and bicycles, and it has a full line of Paramount XL strength equipment with a wide range of dumbbells.

The Community Center also has racquetball courts and a gymnasium, where open gym is sometimes held for basketball.

While no major changes are planned in terms of renovating the building, Club Fitness routinely updates their equipment.

“We’re on a plan to get some new equipment,” said Chris Dagley, facility supervisor at Club Fitness. “We got two new treadmills and a stepper last fiscal year and this fiscal year we’re looking at three new elipticals and three new treadmills. That’s our goal.”

The Prairie View Community Center also plays host to the Park District administration office, park police office and Maine Niles Association of Special Recreation.

Classes and Programs: With more than 1,000 people registered as members, Club Fitness packs in a large schedule of fitness classes that cater to all demographics.

“Our classes are very popular and we have a nice core group of people who go to them,” Dagley said. “All of our classes are open to all ages, but we have some classes specifically for seniors.”

Within the past two years, Club Fitness has revived its cycling program as well as numerous Zumba classes. They will be adding another Zumba class on Wednesday nights starting in the fall.

“We’re looking to start having some more large-scale group fitness events, like a big Zumba class just to get more people involved, as many people involved as possible,” Dagley said. “That’s something we’re definitely looking forward to doing.”

In partnership with The Wellnes Source in Glenview, Dagley says they are also planning to hold weight loss and health seminars in the near future.

Club Fitness features several personal trainers that specialize in different areas like sports performance, senior fitness, body transformation, and helping active people become more well-rounded. It’s all part of their overall goal.

 “We’re a very family-based corporation,” Dagley said. “We try to incorporate that into the club fitness philosophy. We have a lot of families who come and work out together.”

Membership: Rates start at $264 for an individual resident with discounts for day-time use only and additional family members. Call 847-965-1200 to inquire about joining.