Supporting an Active Lifestyle: Fox Fitness Keeps the Whole Family in Shape

Special programs and facilities in the greater Aurora area keep people of all ages invested in healthy habits – and they share with those who live in nearby communities.

Fox Fitness facilities around the greater Aurora area appeal to many workout needs, with treadmills, weight equipment, a fieldhouse, classes and outdoor activities.

If you’re looking to stay fit through the summer and fall, the Fox Valley Park District has options available for residents and nonresidents alike. Based in Aurora but also serving Montgomery, North Aurora and Sugar Grove, the park district’s Fox Fitness brand offers a variety of workout options no matter if you’re looking to begin or you’ve made exercise a regular habit.

With several locations in the Fox Valley, Fox Fitness is committed to helping individuals achieve their goals when it comes to staying fit. By far, the most active facility is Vaughan Athletic Center, at 2121 W. Indian Trail in Aurora, where members can choose from 42 group classes that incorporate the center’s athletic facilities and cash in on classes such as Zumba, cycling, yoga and Pilates.

Brett Meier, general manager of Fox Fitness, says the fitness staff works hard to cater to a wide variety of interests and abilities.

“Our goal is to try to appeal to everyone in the area and find out what programs best suit an individual,” Meier says. “We get a mix of all ages and diverse backgrounds at the Vaughan Center, which I like to describe as a ‘melting pot.’”

The 225,000-square-foot Vaughan Center is home to many amenities that appeal to an active crowd. The aquatic center boasts a water park, an eight-lane lap pool and a warm-water therapy pool in addition to a tennis center with nine indoor courts. The fieldhouse features four courts for basketball and other games, with open gym times and an indoor batting cage. There’s also a pair of indoor tracks, a one-eighth mile track for walking and a one-sixth mile elevated track for running. Child-friendly facilities, including an indoor playhouse and childcare center, make fitness accessible to the entire family.

“We have a wide variety of equipment and a little bit of everything for our members to enjoy throughout the summer months,” Meier says. “All of our different centers are very popular among the members, and we try to accommodate their needs.”

Other resources at the Vaughan Center include a weight room with 200 pieces of state-of-the-art cardiovascular and weight equipment, plus more than 8,000 pounds of free weights.

Fox Fitness offers several membership packages and rates including special pricing for seniors, couples, students, individuals and families. The center also offers varying membership lengths of one to four months for students only, including summer-only packages that appeal to young people who are away at college the rest of the year.

Along with special facilities and programming, Fox Fitness offers a personal training package that allows members to work with a personal trainer. One-on-one sessions enable a more customized, hands-on approach that works to each member’s personality and preferences, particularly for those who want to attain a goal such as weight loss, core development, or strength training and flexibility.

Outside of the Vaughan Center, programs and workout facilities entice Fox Fitness members at Aurora’s Prisco Community Center, 150 W. Illinois Ave., and the Eola Community Center, 555 S. Eola Road. These facilities host special Barre, Pilates and yoga classes as well as unique stepping, cycling, yoga and Zumba classes.

There are still more ways to maintain an edge in one’s fitness this season. This summer marked the return of neighborhood pop-ups in many of Fox Valley Park District’s public parks. Periodic, free events are scheduled for these public spaces through September.

“I think these events are great for the whole community to enjoy just by working out together in a different setting,” Meier says. “It’s fun to see people in the community come out and try something new, which is what our business is all about.”