UF Health and YMCA cut ribbon on new rehab and fitness center

NASSAU COUNTY, FL – Oct. 2, 2020 — UF Health Jacksonville and the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast cut the ribbon today on a new joint project in the heart of Wildlight in Nassau County, a combination rehabilitation facility and fitness center that will bring the latest innovations in healthy living to a rapidly growing part of Northeast Florida.

UF Health Rehabilitation – Wildlight has 36,000 square feet of space and offers adult and pediatric rehabilitation services, including physical and occupational therapy and speech language pathology, and a healthy living center. The new facility includes 5,000 square feet of rehabilitation space to provide specialized, one-on-one care, along with a 25,000-square-foot YMCA. Future expansion of the building is expected to add more than 15,000 square feet for specialty rehab services.

“This is a great day for Wildlight and Nassau County because the people who live here can now get the best possible rehabilitation services along with an amazing, state-of-the-art fitness facility, all right here in their community,” said Jeanne Bradshaw, P.T., D.P.T., director of rehabilitative services for UF Health Jacksonville.

This is the second facility UF Health has recently opened in Wildlight. Last December, UF Health Wildlight opened at 76011 William Burgess Blvd. It provides comprehensive health services, advanced medical technology and outstanding care opened in the heart of Nassau County. The medical complex includes family medicine, pediatrics, women’s services, dentistry, an urgent care center and more.

“Residents of Wildlight and the communities around it now have access to the most advanced health care and rehabilitative services possible, all alongside a fantastic YMCA that offers the most complete and innovative fitness resources possible,” said Leon L. Haley Jr., M.D., MHSA, CEO of UF Health Jacksonville and dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville. “When we kicked off this Wildlight collaboration several years ago, this was our vision, and it’s rewarding for all of us to see it come to fruition.”

The new YMCA will include a fitness center, group exercise studios, an indoor running track, a dedicated area for children to explore, play and learn while their parents are working out, and more, including the availability to take part in youth sports leagues and education programs.

“The First Coast YMCA is thrilled to officially open the Wildlight YMCA to the growing Nassau County community and surrounding areas, including St. Marys,” said Eric K. Mann, the president and CEO of YMCA of Florida’s First Coast. “More than a gym, the new Wildlight YMCA will serve as a total wellness destination for the community by combining the YMCA’s tools and resources focused on healthy living with the medical expertise of UF Health. We know this location will provide critical programming to connect families and neighbors together safely for generations to come.”

The new UF and YMCA facility is part of Wildlight’s master-planned community located east of Interstate 95 and A1A. It is the latest step in a strategic collaboration with UF Health, the University of Florida, the YMCA and developer Raydient Places + Properties and offers high-quality health care for residents living in Wildlight and the surrounding communities.

“We are appreciative of our strategic alliance with UF Health, the University of Florida and the YMCA to break the mold of conventional community development with a new national model for healthier master-planned communities,” said Chris Corr, president of Raydient Places + Properties. “The opening of the UF Health Rehabilitation – Wildlight facility is another testament of our commitment toward healthy living in Wildlight and offers convenient access to the highest quality of health and wellness services across North Jacksonville. It also marks the completion of our dynamic vision that we began working on together three years ago, and we are thrilled for residents and the surrounding community to now enjoy these services that will enhance their well-being.”