Cleveland, OH
Cleveland Clinic doctor transforms community gym into free, high-tech workout space in Fairfax neighborhood
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Clinic is working to keep community members motivated about their physical health and overall well-being, all while charting their progress in a fitness setting.
It’s all part of their smart gym technology at the Cleveland Clinic Langston Hughes Community Health and Education Center’s Fitness Center.
The center is free to those living in the neighborhood.
It comes at a critical time as the National Institute of Health reports people in marginalized communities have a higher risk of many diseases.
These include heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Some of that risk is caused by reduced access to health care and workout space.
The Cleveland Clinic is addressing these issues head-on in the Fairfax neighborhood.
Officials say access is the answer.
The updated gym has been made possible thanks to a generous donation and serious community motivation.
Michelle Dawson, 63, really does get by with a little help from her friends and some technology.
“I had my friend, she used to always take me, my best friend always takes me to my doctors’ appointments to Dr. Kampert,” Dawson said.
Dawson and her best friend of 20 years, Deirdre Tugard, are now workout buddies multiple days a week.
They support and encourage one another to push it, whether it’s on a weight machine or elliptical.
“If you see your best buddy doing well, then it makes you feel good,” Tugard said.
As part of their wellness journey, they now come to the Cleveland Clinic Langston Hughes Community Health and Education Center’s Fitness Center.
It’s a newly opened high-tech, smart gym that offers Olympic-quality exercise equipment in the heart of the Fairfax community.
The workout machines are user-friendly and literally guide you step-by-step with directions and visuals.
You can think of it almost like a hyper-interactive video game of sorts.
User wristbands play an instrumental part in the process.
“You press it up (the wristband) against the screen, press start, and start your workout and you don’t have to do anything. It tracks it all,” Tugard said.
Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine and Endocrinology specialist Dr. Matthew Kampert spearheaded the project.
“When they go to that machine, it will set the appropriate seat, height, arm settings and load the weight on the machines and track each of their reps,” Kampert said.
Tugard witnessed Dawson reclaim her happiness, sense of purpose, and overall health in just four months after working out here.
Her COPD and asthma improved as a direct result.
“Since I’ve been coming to this program, they have taken me off some of my medications. I’ve been taken off some of my inhalers, and I don’t have breathing issues now,” Dawson said.
Dawson also credits Kampert as they worked hand in hand to develop goals over time.
Over time, folks workout independently, but exercise physiologists are available to guide and answer questions—eliminating any anxiety or intimidation.
“You really see them transform from patients to athletes of their own level. This has been so important for improving overall wellness,” Kampert said.
A large part of the smart gym is holding participants accountable.
The machines track their progress over time so that they can review their results and see how far they’ve come in real-time.
“Tells you how many miles you’ve done. How many steps. How much weight you’ve pressed,” Tugard said.
Dawson says the experience has been life-altering and is now a regular part of her routine.
“I wouldn’t know what I would do without getting into this program ’cause it starts off my day,” Dawson said.
In the meantime, Kampert is hopeful more people will take advantage of it in the near future.
“What we’re able to do in this setting is we eliminate those barriers. We provide them a safe and free environment to exercise. We are here to be a support system and guide,” Kampert said.
A smartphone app allows providers to review the results of the data and make changes over time as well.
If you want to check out the program or enroll yourself, click here.
The gym is free and open to folks in the community.
The Cleveland Clinic staff can help enroll and do any sort of medical evaluation ahead of time.
For more information, call here: 216.361.1773
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Yes, it’s true.
Salad with double chicken never fails me
— Kirk Cousins (@KirkCousins8) March 27, 2025
Falcons QB Kirk Cousins was spotted at a Chipotle in suburban Cleveland Thursday.
Cousins, 36, is not a free agent.
The Browns would still have to acquire him by trade.
Atlanta has to pay him $27.5 million for this coming season and so far Cousins has indicated he’s fine with staying as the Falcons backup.
Copyright 2025 WOIO. All rights reserved.
All local games on Guardians TV will be widely available for fans on the following channels in Cleveland:
– AT&T U-verse (Channel 736 or 1736)
–
Cleveland, OH
Northeast Ohio officials call for Federal Government to ensure federal agencies remain Downtown amid uncertainty over Celebreeze Building
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Following confusion over the Anthony J. Celebreeze Federal Building being placed on the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) “non-core property list” to be sold, local lawmakers are hoping to work with the Federal Government to keep this jobs in Cleveland.
The Celebreeze building was placed on the property list in early March along with hundreds of other properties across the U.S. only to be deleted from the list a day later. GSA has yet to specify if this was a mistake or a sign that those buildings that were removed are actively being look at to be sold.
The “non-core property list” identifies buildings that the U.S. General Services Administration deems are not “core to government operations, or non-core properties”.
The buildings would then be sold to “ensure that taxpayer dollars are no longer spent on vacant or underutilized federal spaces”.
Below are the statements released from various lawmakers around Northeast Ohio:
“My administration is aware of discussions regarding the potential closure and sale of the Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building. We are actively working with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and our local, state, and federal partners to understand the timeline. While it seems GSA is early in the process of determining next steps for the building, it is concerning nonetheless. At this time, we have received no indication that the federal government plans to reduce staffing levels for these agencies. However, should any Cleveland workers be impacted, we stand ready to support them through our Rapid Response Hub in partnership with Greater Cleveland Works.
The City’s priority is ensuring that the 4,000 federal workers in the Celebrezze Building remain employed in Downtown Cleveland. Our urban core is a vital economic and civic hub, and we stand ready to collaborate with our federal partners to ensure that these agencies remain Downtown.”
The Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building is a landmark in downtown Cleveland, and stands as a symbol of public service, justice, and civil rights. The federal workers employed there play a vital role in contributing to the economic stability and growth of the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. The County administration is aware of the discussions surrounding the potential sale of the building and has been in contact with federal officials. Cuyahoga County urges leadership within the federal government to reinvest in the building to ensure that all federal jobs are retained in our urban core.
Earlier today, Cleveland City Council received news about the potential selling and closure of the Anthony J. Celebrezze federal building in Downtown Cleveland. Celebrezze, Cleveland’s 49th Mayor, a former judge, and cabinet member in two presidential administrations is an icon in Cleveland history and politics.
Coupled with the possible departure of the Cleveland Browns and the relocation of the county jail to Garfield Heights, our central business district is experiencing real change. The city of Cleveland is investing heavily in the central business district, and the selling of the Celebrezze building threatens progress.
However, we are encouraged by the news that the federal jobs at the Celebrezze building will not be lost, as federal officials have indicated they are looking for other sites to host these workers. City Council will do everything in our power to keep those jobs in Downtown Cleveland.
Council will continue to work with all willing partners to protect, and inject more life and vitality into our central business district.
The Celebreeze building has more than 4,000 employees, housing federal departments such as; The Department of Defense, Defense Financing and Accounting Service, Chief of Naval Personnel; Veterans Affairs-Veterans Benefits Administration; Internal Revenue Service; Department of Homeland Security: U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; National Labor Relations Board.
It is not known yet if the building is staying under federal ownership or will be sold.
Copyright 2025 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Save the Dates: Celebrity Wheel and Jeopardy! Masters Return, Biel/Banks Series Premiere and More
Rubio Says Information on Abducted Ukrainian Children Will Be Preserved
What to Know About Iran’s Response to Trump’s Letter Urging Talks
Russell Vought, Trump’s Budget Chief, Wants to Cut ‘Woke’ Spending
How to Plan a Garden With Climate Change in Mind
-
News1 week agoVance to Lead G.O.P. Fund-Raising, an Apparent First for a Vice President
-
News1 week agoTrump Administration Ends Tracking of Kidnapped Ukrainian Children in Russia
-
Business1 week agoEgg Prices Have Dropped, Though You May Not Have Noticed
-
Technology1 week agoChip race: Microsoft, Meta, Google, and Nvidia battle it out for AI chip supremacy
-
World1 week agoCommission warns Alphabet and Apple they're breaking EU digital rules
-
News1 week agoTrump’s Ending of Hunter Biden’s Security Detail Raises Questions About Who Gets Protection
-
News1 week agoZelenskyy says he plans to discuss Ukraine ceasefire violations in a call with Trump
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago‘Novocaine’ Movie Review – InBetweenDrafts