Mayor DeMaria is pleased to announce that the Everett Community Health & Wellness Center will re-open on Monday, May 10. The center will be open Monday through Friday from 6am-8pm and Saturday-Sunday from 7 a.m.-1 p.m.
“The Everett Community Health & Wellness Center was forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mayor DeMaria. “Re-opening the center has been a long time coming. Due to the size of the space, we will be able to welcome up to 2,000 people in the center. I look forward to adding programs and classes as guidelines lessen.”
The cost for new members is $15 per month for a family membership and those with active gym memberships will not be charged any membership fees until January 2022. All fitness class schedules will be determined at a later date. Please remember that the City of Everett will be following all COVID-19 protocols as dictated by the Commonwealth.
The Everett Community Health & Wellness Center will be operated and managed by P.L.A.Y. Fit Lab, a fitness company. P.L.A.Y. (Push. Lift. Accelerate. You.) Fit Lab was formed in late 2016 into early 2017 by Everett native and minority female business owner, Kahlea Brown.
Brown grew up in the City of Everett and attended Everett schools. She is a proud graduate of Everett High School and has carried her Everett pride with her throughout her life. Brown moved onto to study at Bay State College and UMASS Boston to earn her Bachelors in Business Management.
Brown had spent over 14 years in the hospitality industry before moving to Dubai in 2013 for a few years. During her time in Dubai, she started personally training people in her building with exercise equipment and it was here that Brown discovered her passion for health and wellness.
When Brown moved back to the US at the end of 2015, she decided to pursue her passion of fitness. She became NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) certified and began working at Crunch Fitness in Medford, MA, where she helped to open the facility. Brown quickly became certified to teach spin and other group classes and she enjoyed her experience here.
Around 2016, Brown had a conversation with Mayor Carlo DeMaria and shortly after, she began working at the Everett Community Health & Wellness Center as a personal trainer, group fitness coordinator, and instructor for group fitness classes. This is where Brown was inspired to branch off and start her own business, P.L.A.Y. Fit Lab.
P.L.A.Y. Fit Lab was designed to deliver personal training and group fitness services to its clients. Brown started offering her services to residential buildings by hosting programs for their residents. The company also began to focus on workplace wellness programs with contracts with businesses in Boston such as the Lenox Hotel, Comfort Inn, and the 90 State Street office building.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown was forced to pivot her business and was unable to continue the workplace wellness programs. P.L.A.Y. Fit Lab is hoping to offer virtual classes in lieu of in person programs.
At the same time, because of the pandemic, the City of Everett had to close the Everett Community Health & Wellness Center to adhere with guidelines issued by the Commonwealth. As guidelines were easing up, the City of Everett decided to contract an outside business to manage the center once it re-opened by issuing request for proposals (RFP) and accepted bids.
Brown had learned that the City of Everett was interested in contracting an outside business to manage the Everett Community Health & Wellness Center, and was interested in learning more. A former co-worker and friend, the late Kristin Fulton, had encouraged her to submit a bid for the contract. Brown quickly wrote up the bid and used the business plan that she had used to start her own business. She was proud to learn that P.L.A.Y. Fit Lab had won the bid.
“As an Everett native and former employee of the Wellness Center, it’s a blessing to be able to partner with the City as a small business owner and share P.L.A.Y.’s mission with members of the community,” said Brown. “I hope this partnership will not only help strengthen a culture of wellness in the City, but also inspire the young women and entrepreneurs of Everett to bring their own dreams to life.”
Brown is excited and grateful that the City of Everett chose P.L.A.Y. Fit Lab to manage the Everett Community Health & Wellness Center. She has a vision to make sure her customers are happy and hopes to bring back community programs and group classes as permitted by COVID-19 guidelines. Brown is humbled by this opportunity and wants to provide a warm and welcoming environment.