Rescued from closure by its members, Belleville fitness club has become its own community

The Belleville Health and Fitness Club, housed in a former racquetball facility, recently celebrated its fifth anniversary as a nonprofit and its third year in ownership of Belleville Health and Sports Center.

The club rescued the center from closure when its former owner, Memorial Hospital, put the building up for sale.

It was a sense of community, say club and board members, that has kept the fitness center going at 1001 S. 74th St.

“Between the instructors and our members, there’s just a commitment to make this thing work,” said Barbara Bahr, a board member of the nonprofit and active participant in the gym.

“If it weren’t for our incredible instructors, this wouldn’t work.”

The location was formed as the Belleville Racquetball Club, which was sponsored by Memorial Hospital, in the 1970s and was eventually converted into a health club, with weights, cardio equipment and classrooms filling the former courts. When Memorial decided to sell the building in 2019, a group of members decided to do something to save it.

“We called Memorial and said, “Hey, what can we do to save the health club?” says Pat Mathis, attorney, founding member and chairman of the club. “(Former Memorial President) Mark Turner said, ‘Well, you can buy the health club,’ and we said, ‘Well, we don’t have any money.’”

Thus the 501(C) nonprofit Belleville Health and Fitness club was formed.

Memorial leased the building, the Belleville Health and Sports Center, to the nonprofit for $1 a month as part of an agreement to save the club. In 2022, the hospital gave complete ownership of the gym to the Belleville Health and Fitness Club.

Now, the center is a staple in Belleville and hosts more than a thousand members. In addition to the classes and community-driven focus of the club, those who work out there say they appreciate the welcoming nature to newcomers and the existing chemistry between the employees, board and members.

“Everyone, the members and staff, are just so supportive of each other,” said Cheryl Totsch, a board member of the club.

“When new people come in they’re welcomed in, rooted on and always feel very comfortable here. It’s just a really magic place in that sense of camaraderie.”

Marsha Hohe, the club’s manager, says since most of the board members are long-time participants and helped save the club in the first place, it’s no surprise that the atmosphere is so positive within the club.

“We’ve been coming here for 20 years and we’re still best friends,” Hohe said. “It’s always been such a welcoming place.”

This story was originally published February 3, 2025 at 6:00 AM.