Follow Up: Library, fitness center both win - Albany Times Union

Ravena

Reference books have been replaced by treadmills, and young-adult fiction has turned into free weights.

The Ravena Health and Fitness Center^[1] has taken over the space in the Village Hall that the RCS Community Library^[2] used to occupy. And with both open since May in their new locations — the library has moved to the former Knights of Columbus^[3] hall — the controversy that surrounded the move during the early part of the year has been buried.

"Everyone is a winner," Library President Antonio Booth^[4] said.

In March, the village served the library with a notice to vacate its Village Hall space by the end of the month. Though the library had planned to move, its new space was not yet ready.

In the end, the library made it to the Knights of Columbus hall with its sorely needed space to expand its collection. There is also room for community events in the 9,000-square-foot building.

Meanwhile, back at the Village Hall, Health and Fitness Center Director Cathy DeLuca^[5] said the center now has 175 members, about half of whom are village residents. The center offers the usual weights and workout equipment, as well as classes and nutritional programs.

"We're building slowly but surely," DeLuca said. "We're trying to make it more of a not just a gym, but a health and fitness center. And we're trying to get the health back into the community."

There have been fitness centers in Ravena before, but this is the first village-owned center, which helps keep membership costs lower, DeLuca said. It also provides a closer option than fitness centers in Glenmont and Catskill.

The library is considering building improvements, for which it has a matching $47,000 grant from the Upper Hudson Library System^[6] . As the new year approaches, DeLuca and Booth say they're happy both organizations have settled in. DeLuca called the new library facility beautiful and Booth said he is happy the village found a use for the library's old space.

"I'm sure a lot of elderly people are happy to have it," he said of the center. "And other people are excited about having a fitness center that is local."

— Matthew Hamilton^[7]

References

1. ^{^} Ravena Health and Fitness Center (www.timesunion.com)


2. ^{^} RCS Community Library (www.timesunion.com)


3. ^{^} Knights of Columbus (www.timesunion.com)


4. ^{^} Antonio Booth (www.timesunion.com)


5. ^{^} Cathy DeLuca (www.timesunion.com)


6. ^{^} Upper Hudson Library System (www.timesunion.com)


7. ^{^} Matthew Hamilton (www.timesunion.com)