Col. H. Charles Hodges Jr., shared his grandmother's favorite cliche at the grand re-opening ceremony of Jensen Family Health and Fitness Center Oct. 3.

"Good things come to those who wait," the Joint Base Lewis-McChord commander said.

For most of those present, the new equipment and facilities made the lengthy wait well worth it for the popular fitness center on Lewis Main. Closed nearly two years for renovation, the doors reopened to a $2.5 million facility for a "soft opening" Sept. 24. For a week and a half patrons used the new gym before making its reopening official with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Hodges addressed a crowd gathered in the gym's lobby entrance.

"As you look behind me, you see an example of good things truly coming to those who have waited a long time," he said.

Hodges and Madeline Lanza, spouse of 7th Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. Stephen Lanza, cut the ceremonial ribbon.

"Enjoy the tour and work out!" Hodges said to conclude his remarks. Instead of the traditional sheet cake, fresh fruit, vegetables and bottled water were on hand for those in attendance.

Patrons and guests toured the new facility, which now features top-of-the-line treadmills, elliptical trainers, upright bikes, recumbent bikes, stair climbers, a Jacob's Ladder treadmill and a rowing machine. All the machines and strength equipment is solidly anchored on a new rubber floor. There are also a dozen 60-inch TVs placed throughout the gym.

The remodeled aerobics room includes a wealth of new features: a wood floor, air conditioning, a sound system, mirrors and a new ceiling. There is also a fleet of gleaming new spin bikes.

Child, Youth and School Services employee Kaitlin Carlucci checked out the facility on her lunch break.

"I like that it's got a lot more open space," she said. "There's a lot of the same machines. If someone's on it, there's another one you can go on and you don't have to wait in line."

A group of Soldiers from 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division stopped by the gym for a light abdominal workout after eating lunch at the dining facility across the street.

"It's a good facility for families," Pfc. Dan Lombardi said.

The family-friendly fitness center includes a remodeled child care center where parents can drop off their children. The new facility is air-conditioned and includes separate restrooms for toddlers, older youth and care givers. The center includes a variety of games for children of all ages.

The four offices across from the child care center are for the Health Outcomes on-site nurse educators. "They will help people maintain physical fitness and embrace the idea of fitness for life," Hodges said.