BENTONVILLE — The first amenities at Walmart's new home office will open Friday.
The new Walton Family Hall Health and Fitness Center, located at 1400 SE Fifth St. in Bentonville, offers a variety of classes, training spaces and services for all Walmart and Sam's Club employees and their families.
Megan Henry, Walmart's director of whole health and fitness, said the new space replaces the Walton Family Life Fitness Center, which closed in December.
The 360,000 square foot facility offers a variety of workout and wellness options, from traditional treadmills and weight rooms to tennis and basketball courts. There are also wellness areas such as yoga and sound bath studios, as well as cryotherapy options in the 'rest and recovery' area.
Henry said the company kept a lot of employee feedback in mind when building the space and made sure to honor requests whenever possible. These include a dedicated lap pool, squash courts and ongoing childcare through a youth activity centre.
Children ages 13 and older may use the fitness amenities with parental supervision, while children ages 6 months to 12 years may use the youth center. Henry said this allows parents to focus their attention on training while knowing their child is being taken care of.
The youth classroom includes a dance studio, fitness area and a “tween room” with plenty of STEAM activities to encourage learning about fitness and a whole-health approach, Henry said.
Whole health is a perspective that prioritizes physical, mental, and spiritual health. Instead of focusing on one aspect, try to integrate them.
Henry said the idea of bringing the outside in was one of his main priorities, and some of his favorite spots within the building are where natural stone is used to create quiet, reflective spaces. I did.
Architecturally and philosophically, the center takes a similar approach to the Heartland Whole Health Institute, founded in 2019 by Alice Walton.
“We are pleased to see this state-of-the-art center open and expand access to valuable behavior-changing holistic health programs in our region,” said Augusta Branham, a spokeswoman for the institute. Stated. “This is a prime example of how companies can make a meaningful difference in the health and well-being of their employees, and thousands of Walmart employees and their families have brought this center to their campus. You will benefit greatly from it.”
Henry said Whole Health Fitness Center currently has 13,000 people enrolled, but expects that number to grow. Membership is deducted from associates' paychecks on a biweekly basis.
The fitness center is located in Bentonville, but other cities in Northwest Arkansas will also benefit from its construction.
“From our perspective, having a healthy workforce not only increases productivity and reduces sick time, but also improves community health,” said Steve Cox, senior vice president of economic development at the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce. “We think it's a win-win for large employers because it will only help keep them thriving.” .
“If you can work more, you can earn more money, which means you can eat out and spend more on retail.”
