St. Mary's to Give $3 million to Grand Junction Rec Center
Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Grand Junction is donating $3 million to support the city’s new Community Recreation Center (CRC) at Matchett Park, reinforcing Intermountain’s commitment to helping area residents live the healthiest lives possible.
The donation is one of the largest donations the hospital has ever given and the first donation to a community recreation center for Intermountain Health.
“St. Mary's has been dedicated to improving the health of our community since 1896, and we proudly continue this commitment by supporting the new rec center,” said St. Mary’s President Bryan Johnson. “This will be a principal place where Grand Junction residents will go to improve their health. We see it as more than a place to exercise. It’s a community gathering place that promotes healthy living.”
The proposal was approved with first reading at City Council last night with an opportunity for public input and moves to final approval for the naming of the aquatic area as Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital Pools at its next meeting on March 6, 2024.
“Grand Junction City Council has as one of our strategic goals the health and safety of our community,” stated Mayor Anna Stout. “Today’s exciting announcement by a key partner in that effort, Intermountain Health, makes a significant impact on our shared objective to care for the health of our residents and impact their quality of life in meaningful ways. I am deeply appreciative of this donation to our new Community Recreation Center which will allow us to truly maximize the success of our new center dedicated to healthy living.”
The City of Grand Junction plans to build a multipurpose community recreation center of more than 100,000 square feet on 205 acres of Matchett Park. The CRC will include sport courts, a walk/jog indoor track, a six-lane lap pool, an expansive leisure pool with a lazy river, a plunge pool and water slides, a warm therapy pool, a comprehensive fitness/weight area, community rooms, and meeting spaces. The total budget for the project is estimated at about $82 million, and completion is tentatively set for early 2026.
As the proud Official Health Partner of the Grand Junction Community Recreation Center, St. Mary’s will contribute an additional $1.5 million to create a physical therapy clinic at the CRC, with appointments also available for primary care visits. Co-locating these services increases access to care and proactively addresses the health needs of the community. Clinic patients will use CRC wellness amenities, such as the warm therapy pool, with the support of a physical therapist. Once their treatment is complete, patients will be encouraged to continue to use the CRC as part of their long-term wellness journey.
“St. Mary’s is dedicated to being part of the solution to controlling healthcare costs and ensuring the residents have access to the right level of care, at the right time, in a location convenient for them,” said Johnson. “We're proud to support the CRC and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the health of our community.”
St. Mary’s will also collaborate with the City of Grand Junction to provide wellness education and health events to community members at the new CRC.