Carle Foundation Hospital to close Poolside Health and Wellness in Danville

Carle Therapy Services to relocate to Carle Clinic–Vermilion

September 26, 2008

Carle Foundation Hospital has announced plans to close Poolside Health and Wellness, its fitness facility and pool located in Danville, effective Friday, October 24. Officials at the Urbana-based hospital announced in March 2008 that they had decided to get out of the fitness business, and had hoped to sell the facility and business. Without a buyer for Poolside, the closure is scheduled to coincide with the relocation of Carle Therapy Services to renovated space at Carle Clinic—Vermilion.

"We are disappointed that we were unable to find a buyer interested in maintaining this as an ongoing fitness and recreational business,” said Lynne Barnes, vice president for Clinical Operations at Carle Foundation Hospital. “With Carle Therapy Services relocating, it was the appropriate time to close the fitness facility allowing our organization to focus on our core business of health care.”

People holding fitness memberships will receive refunds for any unused portion of their membership. Without access to a pool, WaterWay Aquatic Therapy will be discontinued. Current patients will be given the option of transitioning to a land-based therapy program in Danville with Carle Therapy Services or to a Carle aquatic therapy program in Urbana.

“We are hopeful that our 600 or so members will join other Danville-area facilities for their continued health and wellness,” Barnes added. “We have appreciated our relationship with them.”

Poolside opened in 2001 as a joint venture with Nelson’s WaterWay to provide aquatic rehabilitation and other specialty therapeutic services in conjunction with the development of a new community health and fitness facility. At that time, Carle Foundation Hospital invested significant funds to transform the natatorium and to build a large addition to create an outstanding facility for water and land-based rehabilitation and exercise.

Poolside Health and Wellness is located at 3733 Poolside Drive in Danville.