Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) spoke at the groundbreaking of a new physical fitness center at Fairchild Air Force Base today.  The $18.8 million state-of-the-art fitness center will support a Fairchild population of 9,700 military/civilian/dependent personnel plus 16,900 retirees in the Spokane area. 

“When we talk about ‘military resources,’ that includes physical fitness,” said Rep. McMorris Rodgers.  “And for too long, Fairchild’s Fitness Center – badly damages by a snow storm – didn’t meet the high standards that our fighting men and women deserve.  With today’s groundbreaking, we are on the cusp of a new, state-of-the-art fitness center that will support the Fairchild population in their Air Force Mission: ‘Fly: Fight, and Win.’”

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and Co-Chair of the Congressional Military Family Caucus, Rep. McMorris Rodgers has served as Fairchild’s chief advocate and defender in the U.S. Congress.  She has worked for years to secure funding for a new fitness center at Fairchild. The build-design contract was awarded to a local company, Lydig Construction, which will team with ALSC Architects – another Spokane-based company.