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Health & Wellness at WestGate Lodging

October 25, 2011 in News by tori | No comments

It is important to us that our guests have easy access to amenities that increase fitness, wellness, and nutrition. We are excited to now offer a free Rush membership to our guests during their stay at WestGate. This process is simple: guests come by the office to pick up a membership card or call to have the membership card left in their room. The Rush is conveniently open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and offers a variety of programs and services to fit anyone’s wellness and fitness needs. The Rush is located at 302 S. Illinois Avenue in the center with Books-A-Million, just across the street from Wal-Mart.

 

We all know nutrition and exercise are important to one’s health, so at WestGate we want to do as much as we can to contribute to healthy lifestyles. Adjacent to our property, we have many different walking trails that provide a place of fitness in a quiet, natural environment. We are located near several parks, which are great outlets for fitness, recreation, and relaxation. We are just miles away from the Oak Ridge Rowing Association , which offers many great rowing locations that accommodate both beginners and experts. Hiking is also a great way to achieve relaxation and exercise. We are less than two hours away from the Great Smoky National Park and with more than 800 miles of hiking trails to choose from, it is a fun way to get active!

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Nutrition is a key factor in achieving and maintaining a healthy life style as well. At WestGate, we are located just around the corner from several great grocery stores known for providing healthy food choices like Earth Fare, Three Rivers Market and The Fresh Market. We are glad that our guests have access to grocery stores that focus on local, organic and naturally grown food!

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WestGate Lodging Guests entitled to a free membership at The RUSH during their stay!

October 5, 2011 in News by tori | No comments

What a fantastic new perk! All WestGate Lodging guests will now receive a free membership to The RUSH Fitness Complex during their stay. Click here for a virtual tour!

The RUSH is a full gym, open 24 hours 7 days a week, with indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, steam room and locker rooms. Lose weight/tone/firm, gain weight and/or build muscle tone, increase energy, increase flexibility, rehabilitation, relieve stress, sports performance and social interaction.

Rush Fitness Center
302 S. Illinois Avenue
Oak Ridge, TN  37830
(865) 276-3488
(Located in the center with Books-A-Million,  just across the street from Wal-Mart)

In and Around Oak Ridge – Things To Do!

September 3, 2011 in News by tori | No comments

Summer is coming to an end, which means your schedules are getting back on track. Oak Ridge offers many fun, unique venues and activities to keep in mind when planning for fall.

On a night when cooking dinner is out of the question, Big Ed’s Pizza is a family-friendly pizza joint that has been in Oak Ridge for decades. Located in Oak Ridge’s original townsite district, Big Ed’s serves pizza, soft drinks, and beer, all for a reasonable price.

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If you’re looking for something fun that offers an educational benefit as well, the American Museum of Science and Energy is a great place for both. The AMSE is the largest exhibition of energy-related exhibits in the United States. The museum has something for each member of the family. It offers live demonstrations, videos, hands-on exhibits, and special events. Its hours are Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 1pm-5pm; admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children.

Enjoying live entertainment is a great way to relax and spend time with the family. The Oak Ridge Playhouse in Historic Jackson Square is presenting three plays this fall: Crimes of the Heart, On Golden Pond, and Little Women the musical. Also, the Oak Ridge Playhouse hosts a Junior Playhouse program, which produces three productions annually. Junior Playhouse offers programming for young audiences and also offers hands-on opportunities for young actors. The Oak Ridge Playhouse is a great venue for live entertainment that can entertain audiences of all ages.

HPIM0249If traveling and exploring fits your mood this fall, venture 20 miles north of Oak Ridge to Clinton and find the area’s best spot for antiquing . With more than 15 antique shops all within walking distance of one another, Clinton offers a large and varied selection of quality antiques, collectibles, and gifts. With slogans such as “Step back in time and shop Clinton” and “The town with the most antique stores in the south,” Clinton is not an area to pass up if antiquing is of interest to you or your family.

With so much to do and see in the area, we are thrilled to be sitting smack in the middle of it. Please keep WestGate Lodging in mind the next time your travels and pastimes bring you to Oak Ridge!

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Oak Ridge Schools – Steeped in history, but poised for even greater achievements!

August 4, 2011 in News by tori | No comments

WestGate takes pride in Oak Ridge’s educational successes!

We are fortunate to be located in a city with one of Tennessee’s most prestigious school systems. The Oak Ridge school system was established in 1943 and has served as a strong base for the Oak Ridge community ever since.

Today, Oak Ridge City Schools are compromised of a preschool serving 216 students, four elementary schools serving 1,694 students, two middle schools serving 1,337 students, and one high school serving 1,480 students. The school system has a support staff of 300 and a licensed staff of 427, and 76% of these teachers hold a masters level degree.

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Oak Ridge City Schools have been recognized as some of the best in the country for years now. Oak Ridge is the only school system in Tennessee to receive Expansion Management magazine’s Gold Metal destination as one of the nation’s top performing systems; they have received this award for nine years in a row. In 2005, Oak Ridge High School was listed by Newsweek magazine as a top-ranked high school based on number of graduating seniors taking advanced placement courses. In 2004, Oak Ridge was one of only two systems in East Tennessee to achieve all “A” status under the federal legislation that regulates local school accreditation, No Child Left Behind. Also, in September 2000, The Wall Street Journal’s Offspring magazine named Oak Ridge one of the top U.S. schools, second in the South.

Oak Ridge takes pride in the educational success of these students, and the community has a tradition of supporting this exceptional education. From the Oak Ridge support staff, licensed staff, students, parents, board of education, business leaders, city council, and citizens, Oak Ridge truly represents a collective effort of all segments working together to provide the best educational opportunities for the children.

We know that many people choose Oak Ridge as their home because of the incredible school system here, and we hope that you will keep us in mind as a stopgap when relocating. We are proud to be a part of the Oak Ridge community and are excited to see education excel in this area.

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Food, fun, tours and tunes

June 9, 2011 in News by tori | No comments

More than 50 people attended the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce After-Hours event hosted by WestGate Lodging this past Tuesday.

The weather was great (even if it was a little on the hot side), but that didn’t deter local community members from enjoying delicious Buddy’s Bar-B-Q, an open bar and jazz tunes from a few UT School of Music musicians.

Attendees – including some from ORAU, Wackenhut, USEC, The Oak Ridger and local realty companies – were treated to tours of the property.

The Open House would not have been possible without support from Parker Hardy, Lynn Christman, Brenda Stinnett, Fred DeFalco and Mallorie Mendence.

Special thanks to the following businesses: Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, Buddy’s Bar-B-Q, All Occasion’s Party Rentals and the UT School of Music.

Click here to view photos from Tuesday’s gathering. To learn more about what WestGate has to offer, please visit our website at www.WestGateOR.com.


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Summer moves made easier at WestGate Lodging!

June 1, 2011 in News by tori | No comments

YOU’RE INVITED!

WestGate Lodging invites you to enjoy an open house event with complimentary food catered by Buddy’s Bar-B-Q, beer, wine and soft drinks on Tuesday, June 7 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.
The event is part of an Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce business after-hours event that includes guided tours and light refreshments. Community members are encouraged to attend and bring a guest. WestGate Lodging is located at 101 Gates Drive, Oak Ridge, TN 37830.

RSVP is not necessary but is appreciated. To RSVP contact Brenda Stinnett at 865-481-0603 or brenda@westgateor.com.

We look forward to seeing you at the open house on June 7!

 

WESTGATE LODGING FILLS NICHE GAP IN LOCAL HOUSING OPTIONS

For many individuals relocating to Oak Ridge, the thought of finding a competitively-priced place to stay on short notice can be a daunting task.

With industries that cater to researchers, scientists and technology experts in and around Oak Ridge, WestGate Lodging often fills a niche gap in local housing options for these businesses to offer their newly hired or recently contracted employees.

“The WestGate setting provides a quiet, relaxing place to stay – close to nature yet less than ten minutes from downtown Oak Ridge,” said Fred DeFalco, managing member of Oak Ridge Lodging, LLC which owns WestGate. “Our peaceful location provides a tranquil escape with all the comforts and services found in most hotels.”

WestGate Lodging is just a short drive from the Oak Ridge Department of Energy facilities, several contractors’ offices as well as shopping, entertainment and other attractions.

WestGate Lodging specializes in accommodations for corporate executives and any personnel on temporary assignments or extended stays, apartments for retired people who desire maintenance-free accommodations and unique options for vacation travelers who want more than an ordinary hotel or motel room.

 

 

“We try to be as proactive as possible to get people to live here where they work,” said Parker Hardy, president of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce. “According to the latest census data, we’ve seen a 7 percent growth rate in our area for these types of professionals.”

 

Within the past 20 months alone, Kenneth Herring, relocation program manager for the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, has met with more than 500 people considering moving to Oak Ridge and has given 80 personal tours of the area.

“We’re beginning to see people kick the tires again on residential issues and most seem to be interested in rentals,” Hardy added.

One of the many reasons guests cite a desire to stay at WestGate Lodging is because it offers affordable, turnkey apartment-style living.  The fully-furnished and decorated condos at Westgate include an array of amenities, such as utilities, high-speed internet in each room with Ethernet connection, full-size appliances and furniture, well-equipped kitchens, maid service, cable television, walking trail and a pool.

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“A hotel or motel option just doesn’t make financial or lifestyle sense for these types of professionals,” said Brenda Stinnett, property manager of WestGate Lodging. “WestGate operates in such a unique community that makes up the Oak Ridge professional sector, especially for those in the area for a limited duration of time or contract workers.”

 

When recently polled, several HR professionals concurred and often refer their newly relocated employees to the facility due to its affordability and fully-furnished apartments.

 

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