Birdsboro Fitness & Splash opens
Business takes over former Aquabilities location
A Birdsboro community landmark is active once again. Birdsboro Fitness & Splash recently opened at 320 West Main Street, in what had been the former Aquabilities.
The building sat empty for two years before being purchased by the Birdsboro Municipal Authority in April, 2013. It reopened to the community May
“Every square inch has been repainted, and several areas have been transformed.” — Jim Burkman, director, Birdsboro Fitness & Splash
14 as Birdsboro Fitness & Splash.
An open house May 7 attracted nearly 600 visitors, followed by an equally successful grand opening May 14.
“We started accepting memberships at the grand opening, and on that first day, we had 30 new members sign up, and we have gotten more since,” said Jim Burkman, director of Birdsboro Fitness & Splash. “I’m very pleased with where we are.”
In the days following the grand opening, community members stopped by the facility to take a look around and reminisce with Burkman about the facility, which opened as Aquabilities in 1993.
“I have been anxiously awaiting this. I had been a member since they opened in 1993. I have been wondering when it will reopen,” said Natalie Bitler of Gibraltar who recently visited with her friend Barb Blankenbiller of Birdsboro.
After taking a tour, the pair completed their paperwork to become members.
“I can see the changes that have been made; I’m so happy,” Bitler told Burkman.
According to Burkman, the property has undergone an extensive remodeling. The swimming pool and spa have been resurfaced, and a new filter system added.
“Every square inch has been repainted, and several areas have been transformed,” Burkman said.
The former training room has been turned into a café, with a television and drinks and snacks for sale. The former staff room has been converted into an observation room where parents can sit and watch swimming lessons.
“What had been the lesson observation room had the walls knocked down and the space was completely renovated into a 33-piece fitness center,” Burkman added. “We have everything from plate loaded machines to bikes, treadmills, ellipticals and Stairmasters.”
Another area, which had contained physical therapy rooms, has been converted into a space that houses exercise classes and can be booked for private parties. Birdsboro Fitness & Splash also offers a variety of swimming accessories for sale.
The centerpiece of the facility is the pool and spa area. The pool is a 3-lane, 25-yard swimming pool that will be used for swimming lessons, aqua-aerobics, competitive swimming camps and clinics, water walking and lap swimming.
There is also an additional 20-foot by 20-foot area. One of the features of that additional area, according to Burkman, is six waterworkout stations.
“Each one comes with a chart, so people can just follow along. You can do pull ups, leg lifts, crunches — things that perhaps someone can’t manage on land, they will be able to do on the stations,” Burkman said.
The spa area has more than 100-square feet of area for therapy or relaxation.
Birdsboro Fitness & Splash will offer a variety of water and classroom fitness classes, as well as adult and child aquatic classes and youth group swimming lessons.
“We’re looking for our swim lesson program to be as successful as it was under Aquabilities. We want to continue the tradition,” Burkman said.
Memberships for Birdsboro Fitness & Splash are sold as one year contracts.
There is a resident fee available to Birdsboro residents (those residents who pay their water bill to the Birdsboro Municipal Authority) and a non-resident fee. The cost for classes varies, and is in addition to the annual membership fee for the facility. Classes are open to members and non-members.
Burkman has a long history in Berks County’s swimming community. He was a competitive swimmer from age 5-18; was a swim team coach at Maple Springs Swimming Pool
for two years; managed the Green Valley Swimming Pool from 2003 to 2010 and was the aquatics director at Schuylkill Valley School District for 14 years. In addition, he is the past president of the Pennsylvania State High School Swimming Assoc. and is currently president of the board of the Berks County Swimming Assoc.
Aquabilities Rehabilitation and Fitness Institute closed in June 2011 after more than 17 years of operation. The Birdsboro Munici-
pal Authority purchased the property in April 2013 for just under $397,364.
Birdsboro Fitness & Splash is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. For more information about Birdsboro Fitness & Splash, visit www.bfs.com or call 610-575-0888