The City of Grand Junction has received a historic donation of $3 million from St. Mary’s Hospital, the largest health care provider in Western Colorado, to help fund the construction of a new community recreation center at Matchett Park. The hospital will also open a physical therapy clinic at the center with an extra $1.5 million investment, providing convenient and accessible health services to the residents.
A COMMUNITY PROJECT WITH A HEALTH PARTNER
The donation from St. Mary’s Hospital is one of the biggest the hospital has ever made and the first of its kind for a recreation center. It shows the hospital’s dedication to improving the health and wellness of the community, not only by offering acute care within the hospital, but also by supporting preventive care and wellness outside the hospital. Bryan Johnson, the president of St. Mary’s Hospital, said that the hospital has been taking care of the community for 127 years and has always been there to meet its needs. He said that the donation is a chance to work with the city and achieve more together than they can separately. The Grand Junction City Council accepted the proposal on March 6, 2024, after a second hearing on the naming of the new community center recreation pools and the leasing agreement on the therapy clinic. The council thanked the hospital for its wonderful gift, which will allow the city to exceed its promises to the voters.
A MODERN RECREATION CENTER FOR GRAND JUNCTION
The new community recreation center will be built on 205 acres of Matchett Park, with a total budget of about $82 million. The city hopes to finish the project by early 2026. The center will have a range of facilities, including sports courts, an indoor track, fitness and weight areas, and meeting spaces. The center will also have a six-lane lap pool, a warm therapy pool, a plunge pool, and water slides. The aquatic area will be called the Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital Pools, in honor of the hospital’s contribution. The hospital will also work with the city on wellness education and health events at the rec center. The city paid for the project by raising the city sales and use taxes from 3.25 percent to 3.39 percent in 2023, with the approval of the voters. The taxes on cannabis sales will also support the facility.
A HANDY AND AVAILABLE THERAPY CLINIC FOR THE RESIDENTS
St. Mary’s Hospital will start a clinic in the center for physical therapy and primary care visits, with an additional investment of $1.5 million. The clinic will give an opportunity for patients to work with therapists and use the warm therapy pool, as well as receive primary care services. The city will lease the clinic space to St. Mary’s Hospital, which will run the clinic independently from the rec center. The clinic will be open to the public, not just to the rec center members. Johnson said that the clinic will offer a new and innovative model of care, where patients can receive comprehensive and holistic services in a handy and available location. He said that the clinic will help the hospital achieve its vision of keeping people healthy and out of the hospital.
