Written By Olena Riznyk
AILSA CRAIG – A few months after opening a gym in Ailsa Craig, Kathy Awad-Willemse is already working on her next project–a licensed child-care centre.
For Kathy, both projects started the same way: she saw a need and decided to do something about it.
When Locality Wellness Hub opened last November, she wanted it to be more than a place to exercise. She wanted to create a space where people could connect, stay active and find programs close to home. “There was a need here,” she said. “We figure out what works best for the community, what’s missing, and how we can make it happen.”
The gym now serves more than 100 members and offers fitness classes, flexible access hours and community programming. Parents are also welcome to bring their children while they work out.
“Some moms come in during the day and the kids play here while they get a workout,” Kathy said. “They still get the opportunity to do their workout without having to worry about what to do with the kids.”
Kathy also operates a Locality Wellness Hub location in Parkhill, where the business first began several years ago.
Before launching Locality Wellness Hub, she spent 13 years working with the YMCA in Parkhill. She says many of her ideas come from listening to people and paying attention to what families are looking for. “I talk to people,” she said. “What is it you want to see? How can we make that work?”
That approach has led her to her next project–a licensed non-profit child-care centre that she hopes will open later this year. “There’s no licensed child care here,” Kathy said.
“Families are struggling because they can’t go to work. There are huge wait lists.”
The centre is expected to provide affordable spaces for toddlers and preschoolers, helping fill a gap that many local families have felt for years.
For Kathy, the goal is simple: create opportunities that allow people to stay in their own community rather than travelling elsewhere for services. “If you offer something in the community, you try to keep people here,” she said.
At the same time, she is preparing for another busy summer camp season in Ailsa Craig, Parkhill and Arkona. More than 100 children are already registered for programs that include crafts, games, outdoor activities and day trips.
The gym, the camps and the upcoming child-care centre all started with the same simple observation: something was missing. Instead of waiting for someone else to step in, Kathy decided to be the one to do it.
