BENTONVILLE — The first Walmart New Home Office opens Friday.
The new Walton Family Whole Health and Fitness Center located at 1400 SE Fifth St. offers… Bentonville has a variety of classes, exercise spaces, and services for all Walmart and Sam’s Club associates and their families.
The new space will replace the Walton Family Life Fitness Center, which closed in December, said Megan Henley, Walmart’s director of Whole Health and Fitness.
The 360,000-square-foot facility has exercise and wellness options that range from traditional treadmills and weight rooms to tennis and basketball courts. There are also wellness areas including a yoga studio and sound bath, as well as cryotherapy options in the ‘Rest and Restore’ area.
The company took a lot of employee feedback into account when building the space, making sure to accommodate requests when possible, Henley said. This included a dedicated swimming pool, squash courts and ongoing childcare through the Youth Activity Centre.
Children aged 13 years and above can use the fitness facilities under parental supervision, but children aged 6 months to 12 years use the Youth Centre. This helps parents direct their attention toward their exercise, knowing their child is being taken care of, Henley said.
The youth classrooms include a dance studio, a fitness area and a “twin room,” which Henley said has plenty of STEAM activities to encourage learning about fitness and holistic health techniques.
Whole health is a perspective that prioritizes physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Instead of focusing on one aspect, he tries to integrate them.
Henley said the idea of bringing the outside in was one of the main priorities, and some of her favorite places in the building are where natural stone was used to create calm, reflective spaces.
The center follows an approach architecturally and philosophically similar to the Heartland Institute for Whole Health, which Alice Walton founded in 2019.
“We are thrilled to see this state-of-the-art center open and expanding access to valuable behavior-change health programs throughout our region,” said Augusta Branham, a spokeswoman for the institute. “This is a leading example of how companies can make a tangible difference in employee health and well-being, and thousands of Walmart associates and their families will greatly benefit from having this center on campus.”
Henley said there are currently 13,000 people enrolled at Whole Health Fitness, but she expects to see more. Membership is deducted from associates’ salaries every two weeks.
While the fitness center is located in Bentonville, other cities across Northwest Arkansas are set to benefit from its construction as well.
“We see this from our perspective as a benefit to major employers because having a healthier workforce increases productivity, reduces sick time and just helps keep our community thriving,” said Steve Cox, senior vice president of economic development at the Rogers Lowell Chamber. .
“If you are able to work more, you will be able to make more money, which means you are able to go out to eat and spend on retail.”
#Walmart #Home #Office #unveils #building #house #Walton #Family #Health #Fitness #Northwest #Arkansas #Democratic #Gazette
