Olaf Growald
Following the multimillion-dollar renovation of its 70,000-square-foot recreation complex, CERA — that is, the Corporate Employees Recreation Association — is looking to add more members.
The private recreation center, which celebrated its grand opening Jan. 21 on Bryant Irvin Road, near the new Waterside development, offers membership to employers looking to provide gym access to employees. Companies like Acme Brick, the Aledo Independent School District and Apex Capital are among CERA’s current 15 members — CERA general manager Ted Shaw said he hopes to grow that number to 20 and have 5,000 fitness members.
So, who’s eligible to join? According to Shaw, CERA is looking for companies that promote a culture of wellness and show a commitment to keeping employees and retirees healthy.
To be considered for membership, companies must submit a letter to the CERA Board of Directors. The letter should clearly state the company’s interest in making CERA activities and facilities available to employees, the company’s current number of employees, and the contact information for the company representative. As an employer, no fee is charged to the company for participating in the Associate Membership Program, and memberships last for 12 months from the date of agreement.
The CERA Board of Directors reviews each letter and decides whether or not to extend an invitation to join the recreation association. “We do expect the business to have at least 10 to 12 percent of their eligible employees be involved in at least one thing here,” Shaw said.
Members can choose among 14 organized programs, like the fitness center, various sports leagues, or art classes like pottery. Companies then pay one annual fee based off of the chosen activities. “They may not want to be a part of the fitness center or play golf, but they might want to join the basketball league or do the camera club for a year and pay the $50 annual fee to meet twice a month,” Shaw said.
In addition to the CERA facility, members also have the option to play golf at the Squaw Creek Golf Course, located in Willow Park. Members can sponsor friends under guest memberships to enjoy amenities like the racquetball court together and sign up for a family membership as well, at an additional cost.
More information can be found at cera-fw.org.