By Greg James | [email protected]           

Construction on the Kearns Athlete Training and Event Center is finishing up. This expansion project began in May of 2017 and will finish up this fall. 

“The date for the opening has not been set yet, but we are looking at mid-November,” Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center Executive Director Patti Hansen said. “We will have over 10,000 square feet of cardio and weight equipment inside the new building.” 

The first floor will have weight and strength equipment, and the second floor will house the cardio machines. It will be furnished with all new equipment. Center management is in the process of selling a parcel of land to finance its new machines.

“Our patrons are very excited because that had to be one of our weak spots (cardio and fitness),” Hansen said. “This is exciting to be new and available.” 

The new construction adds nearly 13,000 square feet to the facility. It will connect the Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center and the Utah Olympic Oval. It will also house an athlete training area for Olympic athletes. 

Five partners are paying for the expansion: Salt Lake County, the State of Utah, US Speed Skating, Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation and the Oquirrh Recreation and Parks District. The Building construction has been fully funded and when complete will be operated by the Legacy Foundation and the Oquirrh Recreation and Parks division. 

“It will be amazing. It will be a wonderful connection to the oval,” Hansen said.

There will also be meeting rooms. These rooms will be available for rent for weddings and parties, and the Kearns Metro Township will have an office and hold its public meetings there. 

US Speedskating will have an athletes training area, clinic support, nutrition kitchen and its general offices. The National Speed Skating Hall of Fame will be housed in the new facility with memorabilia being displayed for the public. The Kearns Historical Society will also have space to display items. 

The fitness center has 17,000 current members, and at anytime in the summer, 3,000–4,000 people can be in the pools at one time. KOPFC has three indoor pools and three outdoor pools. 

“It is one of the best pools in the valley,” Hansen said. “We have six pools total. Any kind of weather—you can always swim here. The features at the pools are incredible. We have the only 10-meter diving platform in the state.” 

The fitness center will continue to host swim meets. It is used by three high schools for their meets and practices. The pools are also are used for water polo tournaments. 

“We have a great partnership with our schools,” Hansen said. “We are a public facility and are excited to have it here. It is complex with so many partners, but with our new parking lots under construction, we have the space for people to come to visit. We have the gymnasium with pickle ball and Jr. Jazz in the winter.” 

More information on the opening can be found on the centers website www.kopfc.com.