Staff photo - David Wise Corey West is excited to be managing the new Riverwalk YMCA facility

The new Riverwalk YMCA has been open for a week now. Corey West is heading up the new Riverwalk YMCA, located in Bethlehem, and enjoying every minute of it. He is the longest-serving employee of the YMCA of Georgia's Piedmont. West says, "I first started with the YMCA in the summer of 1996."

West is really excited about the opportunity to grow the YMCA of Georgia's Piedmont at its third branch.

Winder-Barrow Brad Akins YMCA and the Bell Family YMCA are the existing two.

West says, "Plans are under way for a Y in Monroe but it is in the early stages."

West is a 1998 graduate of Winder-Barrow High School. He has been the Senior Program Director of the Winder-Barrow Brad Akins Branch and, just a few months ago, he found out he would be running the new Riverwalk YMCA.

Ground-breaking ceremonies were held last October and originally expected to open in May but the grand opening - complete with West handling the scissors during the ribbon-cutting eeremony - was June 21.

West says, "It has exceeded our expectations! We have only been open a week and we have a little over 200 members."

A lot of exciting events are planned for the summer including a Poolside Date night on Saturday, July 19, a Family Beach Volleyball Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 16, and an End-of-Summer Luau on Saturday, Sept. 6.

A monthly family membership plan and a monthly membership plan are available, providing use of all facilities of the YMCA of Georgia's Piedmont.

West says, "We have so much to offer. We have four tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, swimming pools, a fitness center that you have to see to believe."

Swimming lessons are now being conducted at the Riverwalk YMCA.

"It helps to have a great staff here at the Riverwalk YMCA as we have so much going on here," said West.

"We also have a great teen fitness program. At the Riverwalk Y, we have a class for Fit Kids which is a group exercise class for ages 5-9. They do jumping jacks, sprints, push-ups, sit-ups, and more. It is free for members."

It is a brand-new facility and those who work there and the members are excited.

If you would like to find out more about the offerings at Riverwalk YMCA, call (770) 867-9619.

It is easy to reach from Winder by simply traveling south on Highway 81, crosse Highway 316 and proceed to Tom Miller Road (3 miles past the four-way stop). turn right onto Tom Miller Road and look for the signs on the left. Turn into the new subdivision and Riverwalk YMCA is straight ahead. Ample parking is available.

Originally published Sunday, June 29, 2008