The Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, owned by Allina Health, will open one of the largest adaptive fitness and wellness centers in the nation next week.
 
Minneapolis-based Allina said the $4.75 million needed to build the 6,300-square-foot exercise facility was funded entirely through donations.
 
Doors to the new center are set to open on June 13 in Golden Valley.
 
Known as the Arthur Anderson Minneapolis Alumni Fitness and Wellness Center, individuals suffering from spinal cord injuries and other disabilities will find machinery and workout materials suited to their needs.
 
“The benefits of fitness in the general population are well known,” Jeanne Olson, manger of aquatics, fitness and activity-based locomotor exercise for Courage Kenny, said in a statement. “But people with disabilities have difficulty finding accessible facilities and exercising at the level expected for the general population.”
 
Perhaps the most significant piece of equipment at the facility will be a locomotor treadmill, which teaches walking skills to those with spinal conditions, neurological issues or who have experienced a stroke. Currently, there is an 18-month waiting list to use the treadmills at Courage Kenny’s other locations in Minnesota.
 
Courage Kenny was established in 2013 through a merger of Courage Center and Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, the latter of which was under Allina’s wing at the time.