BY MICHAEL KNOX
SALISBURY POST

When the new East Rowan YMCA opened for the first time Friday morning, patrons where already waiting at the door.

“Igot here at 5:30 this morning, and by 6 it was jamming,” said Justin Johnson, a personal trainer in the new Y’s fitness center.

Workers at the new YMCA weren’t surprised by the turnout.

With a brand new facility that includes a game room, a fitness center, basketball courts, a jacuzzi, a children’s area, an indoor track, racquetball and other facilities, the new building is quite a package.

“We’ve got the whole everything here,” Johnson said. “This totally wipes Gold’s Gym off the map.”

Even before Friday morning, 3,659 members had signed up, according to Amanda Hesse, executive branch director of the East Rowan YMCA, also called the Saleeby-Fisher YMCA. The membership figure was well past that mark by Friday afternoon, but Hesse did not have the final figure yet. She figured 1,200 people came through the new facility Friday.

Boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts awaited patrons.

“This is our insurance, to make sure you come back,”Hesse joked.

But the doughnuts were probably unnecessary.

“They built a really nice facility. Something we’ve been needing on this side of the area.” said David Kessler, 38, after a racquetball game.

The facility is based on the same design as the South YMCA.

“We’ve made some adjustments to their facility design, but overall, design was taken from theirs,” Hesse said.

The changes were made after talking to volunteers from the South Y, who have already discovered that some areas need to be expanded. The East Y has enlarged the lounge area and included a gymnasium with two regular-sized basketball courts. There is also an expanded pool deck to allow for more spectators.

Patrons will be able to use the pool after it is inspected Monday and workers have heated the water.

Until then, guests have plenty to occupy themselves with just the game room alone. As soon as school let out, the room became a noisy den of activity.

The sound of pinball machines rang through the air, mixing with the clatter of a game of air hockey. Still others played a round of foosball.

Younger kids found plenty of action in the outdoor area. Lindsey Hammill, 5, found her way through the play set’s maze of stairs and twisting tunnels.

“She’s been playing on it all afternoon,”said Lindsey’s mother, Lisa Hammill. “She loves it.”

But it was the basketball courts that saw the most activity Friday.

“It’s been like this since 10 minutes to 3,” Hesse said of the crowded courts.

The new facility will offer more than just a chance for people to get in shape and have fun. It will give some couples a chance to see each other.

“Actually this is the only way I’ll be able to get close to my boyfriend,” said Christy Haynes, 20, “because once he sees this (basketball) court, he’ll never come home.”