MOUNTAIN IRON— A new regional recreation and wellness center located in the former YMCA building in Mountain Iron opened to the public last month.
Mesabi Fit offers a swimming pool, sauna, hot tub, fitness center with weights and cardio equipment, and a gymnasium for basketball, volleyball and pickleball. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with $1.025 million in Development Infrastructure and Community Development grants to help pay for the acquisition, facility upgrades and operational startup. Total project investment was approximately $2.1 million.
There are wellness and recreation programming and classes for adults and children, and a space for local artists to showcase their work. Mesabi Fit also houses the Hygge Play Studio, which is an area designated for children and their parents or caretakers to enjoy free play together. Child watch services are available for parents when using the facility.
“Mesabi Fit is an excellent example of how Iron Rangers work together to help one another, take on challenges, persevere and overcome obstacles,” said Commissioner Ida Rukavina, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation. “I commend the volunteers and other community members who worked so hard to create this fantastic new facility that will benefit the people and families of the Iron Range. This wonderful facility makes our region stronger and better, both on a community and wellness level and on an economic level to attract new residents.”
The facility is owned and operated by the nonprofit Mesabi Fit Coalition. The group formed with the mission of transforming the vacant unused building that originally opened as the Mesabi YMCA in 1991. It served the Iron Range community for 30 years before closing in 2022.
Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the construction of the original YMCA building in 1991. Through community development grants nearly 30 years ago, the agency provided about half of the seed money needed to bring a YMCA to the Iron Range. The agency’s former and late Commissioner Mark Phillips was supportive of the new Mesabi Fit project, and it was one of the last endeavors he worked on before he retired in 2022.
Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation also provided $6,000 in Grant Writing Assistance to Mesabi Fit to hire a professional grant writer to prepare and apply for various state, federal and philanthropic grants to further help fund and sustain the new facility.
Other Mesabi Fit major donor partners include Blandin Foundation, Essentia Health, Minnesota Power Foundation, Northland Foundation, St. Louis County, St. Louis County Family Services Collaborative, state of Minnesota, and private donations of time and money from community members and organizations.
“The renovation of this once vacant property was a monumental undertaking, but one that our coalition was extremely committed to,” said Sharon Chadwick, Mesabi Fit board president. “We now have an inviting modern structure that is a proud component of the region’s infrastructure. We are thrilled to officially open the only full spectrum fitness facility in the region, and we are committed to serving all ages, to providing fun and healthy recreation opportunities for families and to being accessible 24/7.”
