Leading the Way for Wellness

For more than 10 years, Postels Community Health Park has provided the public with integrated medicine services. The dream of a community health park originated with the donation of the building located at Broad and Commercial Streets in downtown Grinnell. Formerly the home of Grinnell Beverage, the building was donated by Joanie and Arnie Heimsoth and Dick Postels in 1999.

For years, the motto of Postels Community Health Park reflected the inclusion of a variety of wellness services all “under one roof.” Through the services offered at Postels Community Health Park, patients find an approach that recognizes the importance of the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions in health and healing. The building currently houses Acupuncture Clinic of Grinnell, Strovers Chiropractic, physical therapy, therapeutic massage, some fitness equipment, and group fitness classes.

 

We are now implementing plans to move the majority of services at GRMC’s Paul W. Ahrens Fitness Center into the space formerly used by The Galaxy Youth Center at the Postels building. Adding these services to the Postels Community Health Park will truly bring all these services under one roof.

Renovations are underway right now and the plan is to have the space up and functioning for clients this fall. The wellness program is growing with nearly 400 members and we anticipate building those numbers once the new space is operational. Improvements include the installation of new functional fitness circuit equipment, glass entrance doors, windows on the Commercial Street side of the building, a dedicated Spinning® room, additional treadmills and cardio units, new sound equipment, and new flooring, and lighting. A new entry system will provide 24/7 access to members. Bathrooms with showers are being added as well as a new handicapped accessible entrance. Funding provided to the campaign has already allowed us to install a new furnace, replace the roof, carpet, and hand rails.

And the current home of the Paul W. Ahrens Fitness Center? What happens to that?

This space will become the home of the F.A. Jones Physical and Occupational Therapy Center as well as our pulmonary rehab space. There will still be opportunities for members to exercise in the Ahrens Medical Arts Building. Many people feel more secure doing this work on the hospital campus just in case they might require medical attention. The warm water exercise pool is also staying in its current location in the Ahrens Medical Arts Building.

All of this has been made possible because of private donations, which is pretty extraordinary.

Also extraordinary is the story that our CEO and President Todd Linden will tell you. He recently attended a national meeting of hospital administrators who are now coming to the realization that their hospital or health system should get involved more heavily in wellness and fitness services. They recognize that the trend in healthcare is moving toward keeping people well and healthy in the first place. That’s something that we’ve been doing in Grinnell for more than 15 years. Who says that rural America doesn’t lead the way?

For information about joining the fitness center, please call 641-236-2999.