When the ribbon was cut October 8 in front of the Essentia Wellness Center, it was a diverse group holding the scissors. City Councilors from Hermantown, officials from the YMCA and Essentia Health, the Chair of the Hermantown School Board, and more. It was a fitting moment, as the Essentia Wellness Center came into being because of the work of so many different individuals, groups, and businesses in southern St. Louis County.
The EWC can trace its initial footsteps on a long journey into becoming a key community asset back to the work of Advance Hermantown in 2011. The group of dedicated civic leaders started asking questions about what would ensure a successful future for the community. The idea of a ‘gathering site’ was one of several key drivers that would carry Hermantown into the next decade and beyond.
Efforts by this local group were enhanced in 2014, when the state of Minnesota gave a pre-design grant to the City and the Duluth Area Family YMCA added a feasibility study for a location in Hermantown.
The following year featured not only the application for necessary state bonding to fund the venture, but the addition of another critical partner; Essentia Health.
In May of 2017 the City of Hermantown learned that it would be included in the state bonding bill, which meant the Essentia Wellness Center could become a reality on the location generously donated by Hermantown Community Schools. What had long been a hub for education could now evolve into a gathering space for health, wellness, and more.
On July 10, 2018, the many partners gathered with LHB and McGough to break ground on the $26 million dollar project – funded through local sales tax, the state grant, a community campaign, and Essentia Health’s naming contribution.
At more than 70,000 square feet, the Essentia Wellness Center has something for everyone. From a child development center serving our youngest community members, to a full YMCA branch, to the life-long health support of Essentia, the EWC is open to everyone in southern St. Louis County – making it a true community partnership.