Kathy Conway, a senior citizen from Jersey City, credits her weight loss and her ability to keep the pounds off to a city recreation program that allows her to use facilities at New Jersey City University. She walks on the indoor track and uses the pool.
“I would not have been able to keep it up if I couldn’t come here,” she said.
Last January, NJCU opened its doors to allow seniors to use its pool, sauna, indoor track, and other facilities in cooperation with the city’s Department of Recreation.
The program runs from about 9:30 to 11 a.m. every week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. City recreation officials hope to expand operations from three to five days to allow senior citizens throughout Jersey City to use the university’s exercise facilities at West Side and Audubon avenues.
Mayor Steven Fulop and representatives from recreation hope that the program can be expanded to possibly include additional rooms for yoga.
The Recreation Department offers a variety of other services, such as Yoga with Carol Lester and nutritional counseling. Yoga has become a much more popular feature with as many as 20 people taking part in the program each day.
“I teach them about healthy living and how to stay flexible,” she said.
“This is open to seniors, 55 and older, from anywhere in Jersey City.” – Peter Aceti
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The program currently has a membership of about 90 residents from local senior buildings as well as other parts of the city, some of whom are transported to the site by city recreation vehicles.
The city has pickup points that include Montgomery Street and the Hudson Mall as well as several area senior centers.
A place to go
Marie Tauro, founder of the program, said many seniors would not have a place to exercise if the university had not opened its doors.
She said attendance averages about 30 to 40 people a day, taking part in different activities.
“Not everybody comes here every day,” she said.
Alice De Fazio, athletics director at NJCU, called the seniors a very welcome addition to the facility.
Peter Aceti, program coordinator, said the expanded program will provide seniors with regular daily routines at off-peak hours.
“This is open to seniors, 55 and older, from anywhere in Jersey City,” Aceti said.
While parking is often an issue in the area, the city has arranged to allow seniors to park in the Hudson Mall about 10 blocks from the college. The bus also goes to the senior buildings at 72 Montgomery St.
“We shuttle them over here and then drive them back,” Aceti said.
The program runs from January to June, and then starts up again in September. The program does not run over the summer, partly because that’s when the college runs its own classes.
Mayor Fulop, who stopped by to encourage the seniors, said cooperative agreements like these help the city expand its services to residents.
“We are always looking to provide programs that improve the health of our youth and seniors,” he said.
For more information, call the city Department of Health and Human Services at (201) 547-6800.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.