It was February 13, 1999, and the City of Westminster was celebrating a major achievement in its fitness journey. 

At a time when people were donning neon workout gear and following along to VHS home fitness programs like Tae Bo and Step Aerobics, Westminster opened a brand new facility dedicated solely to this type of wellness. 

Recreation Services Manager Tim Lachermeier remembers other municipalities working to include everything from aquatics to basketball courts into the same facility, but Westminster took a different approach. 

“City Park Fitness Center (10475 Sheridan Blvd.) continues to this day to be one of the most unique municipal fitness facilities around because it feels like a private health club, but it's open to public,” Lachermeier said. “Normally a municipal recreation center has a standard array of amenities. Pool, gym, pickleball, you name it, we have that right next door at City Park Recreation Center. This facility’s sole purpose is fitness and wellness, and people like having a dedicated space.” 

A driving force for Westminster to expand its fitness and wellness offerings at the time was the overwhelming popularity of the adjacent City Park Recreation Center in the early 1990s. At the time, a portion of what is now City Park Fitness Center served as the headquarters and training facility for the newly founded Colorado Rapids soccer team. In fact, some Westminster residents remember watching their local Major League Soccer team practicing on the soccer fields at City Park. 

Twenty-five years later in 2024, City Park Fitness Center staff welcomed patrons back to where it all began and celebrated the anniversary with stress-relieving massages, light refreshments including custom cookies with Westminster blue icing, and fun giveaways. At this year's anniversary celebration, attendees remarked about how the fitness center has become a crown jewel for wellness programming in Westminster.

Lachermeier said that over the years although the building hasn’t changed much (he credits the engineers and architects who did a great job future-proofing the facility) what has changed is the types and amount of classes and programming offered at City Park Fitness Center. 

“Just like everywhere else, the population is aging over time, so requests for types of classes and time of day have changed,” he said. “One of our biggest user groups now is daytime, low-impact classes.” 

One example of a highly successful class offering is the Pedaling for Parkinson’s group, which combines the physical benefits of a cycling class with the support of group meals and fellowship after the class is done. You can read more about Pedaling for Parkinson's here.

“Not only is it physical health and wellness, but also emotional and mental health and wellness,” Lachermeier said. “This facility is unique in that it can offer both of those things.” 

If the last 25 years are any indicator, the future is bright for City Park Fitness Center. In 2023, the facility saw 259,729 guest visits including more than 94,000 fitness class participations. With new cardio equipment coming soon and a constant stream of new fitness and wellness program offerings, the staff at City Park Fitness Center is looking forward to being a part of the community’s wellness journey.  

“The facility is, has been, and always will be for the community,” Lachermeier said. “Any of their wellness needs; whether it’s being outside taking in the view, being inside participating in a class, training or getting a massage, whatever helps you reach your fitness goals, this is the place for you.” 

Learn more about City Park Fitness Center and find detailed class schedules here.