Dr. J.J. Jimenez is a Springfield, IL, native and University of Illinois alumnus who has lived in Urbana for eight years. A member of the radiology department at Carle, Jimenez is passionate about health, fitness, nutrition and wellness. He is one of the organizers of The Friends of Urbana Parks citizens group which is advocating for the passage of the upcoming Crystal Lake Pool referendum. Jimenez has been married to wife Shelley for 16 years and they have three children: 9-year-old Nelson, 5-year-old Isabel, and 2-year-old Annelise.
See why we think J.J. Jimenez is a Chambana Dad to Know.
Q: Why does Urbana need a new Crystal Lake Pool?
Crystal Lake Pool has been has been a part of Urbana in some form or another for over 80 years. When one thinks about the kids who learned to swim there, first competed in swim team events there and families who spent lazy hot summer days within the confines of pool grounds, it would difficult to think of any facility in Urbana that has made more of an impact on family life as Crystal Lake Pool.
Aside from the safety issues that closed the pool, it was clear that CLP as it once stood was no longer meeting the needs of the community. It was also clear after conducting surveys and holding community forums that there is tremendous public support for an outdoor aquatic facility in Urbana. This is why the process to rebuild was begun. The Urbana Park District is committed to responding to the needs of the public it serves. They are also committed to meeting those needs in a fiscally responsible manner. That is why the people of Urbana will get to decide on April 5 whether or not this is an investment that they are willing to make. The new aquatic facility will have a variety of features that will meet the needs all kinds of users: children, adults, seniors, competitive swimmers, fitness swimmers and even non-swimmers. The new facility as outlined by the concept plan would be one that our community would not soon outgrow.
Personally, I feel as a taxpayer that it is an excellent investment to make. Facilities like parks and pools strengthen a community by promoting recreation, fitness and family interaction. We have so many demands on our time and everyday there is some new way for us to spend time, usually away from our family. If we as a community can provide an avenue for families to get up off the couch and out of the house to enjoy quality time together then that in my opinion is money well spent.
Q: Why should Urbana families, many of whom are still struggling due to the lingering recession, vote to approve this referendum?
This is a tough question to answer and one that was given much thought by the UPD Board of Commissioners prior to proceeding with a referendum. It is because of the support of the community and the expressed desire of the citizens of Urbana who have helped in the planning process that this question is being brought to the ballot.
This pool is so much more than a puddle of water for kids to splash around in. It is real community asset and resource. For instance, this facility will help improve access to aquatic instruction for Urbana families. Drowning is a major cause of accidental death in the pediatric population. Studies have shown that minority and lower income children are at increased risk for this. The UPD has demonstrated a commitment to providing low-cost programs for the people of Urbana and programs at the new CLP would be no exception. It is also worth noting that CLP provided aquatics for the day camps run by the Urbana Park District. This is where much of the early aquatic instruction took place. This resource vanished when the pool closed. Furthermore, a new pool will provide space for seniors to remain active with low-impact water fitness classes. In short, Crystal Lake Park is such an ideal venue for an outdoor aquatic facility that the entire family can enjoy. It would be such a shame, almost criminal, to fill the pool in. We have some of the best parks in the area. Our community deserves an outstanding aquatic facility that we can be proud to call our own. When one considers all of this, $37 per year per $100,000 property valuation is a great investment to make. The Urbana Park District is well aware of the financial constraints felt by families in the community as they are subject to financial challenges as well. If the people of Urbana want a new pool, now is the time. We have the momentum, the concept and the support. This is the time to vote YES.
Q: What attracted you to compete in triathlons?
A friend of mine who was a triathlete found out I was swimming and running and suggested I should do a triathlon. I had never really given it much thought but after completing the first Illinois Marathon back in 2009, I went out and bought a bike and started to train. In July 2009, I did my first triathlon, the Rodney Miller in Decatur. I was totally hooked! I loved it. The endurance, the competition, the athletes, the whole package was just awesome. I spent most of 2010 training for Ironman Louisville which I completed at the end of August. It was such an amazing experience. If you spend enough time around triathletes you will eventually hear the phrase, “it’s not just a sport, it’s a lifestyle.” The more I get into triathlon I realize it is true. The amount of training and discipline required exceed that required for most other recreational sports. Most triathletes are serious about living a healthy lifestyle. At 40 years of age I feel that I am in the best shape of my life. If you would have told me five years ago that I would complete an Ironman, I would have told you that you were crazy. I did it and in the process I learned a whole lot about myself and about those around me.
Q: Why did you choose to pursue medicine?
You might say medicine is the family business. My father is a physician as are my older brother and sister. I also had members of my extended family who were doctors. My mother and older sister were nurses. This is what I was immersed in from a very young age. My dad had such an intense respect for the medical profession it was almost as if you wondered why anyone would want to do anything else with their life. I was pretty focused on getting into med school through high school and college. I have a fascination with the workings of the human body so the coursework really came fairly easy for me. I’m also something of a technology junkie which is probably why I gravitated to radiology as a specialty. The thing that really hooked me when I was in school was the rush you get from helping diagnose and treat people. People come to you in their most vunerable state and you have the knowledge and skill to help them. That’s a pretty powerful thing and it never gets old.
Q: As a doctor, you have a lot of demands on your time — do you have any work/life balance tips you can share with us?
The biggest piece of advice I have regarding work/life balance is to learn to say “NO.” When I first started in my practice I got overextended really fast. I felt I had to work harder than everyone else to prove my worth. I felt I had to volunteer for every committee and take every teaching assignment. I found myself overwhelmed and starved for time. I remember the day it all turned around. I was sitting in this meeting thinking to myself, “…why the heck am I in here? I don’t find this remotely interesting.” Shortly thereafter I resigned from that committee and started to take stock of my time and how I was spending it. I paired down my activities to only those things that I really felt that I was passionate about and focused my efforts there. It’s still hard because when you get tagged as an individual who likes to get involved and can get things done people have a natural tendency to want to pile things on you. I have to resist the urge to say “YES” to everyone. Time is a limited resource. Everything you say “YES” to represents something else you will have to say “NO” to. I try to make sure I’m not saying “NO” to my family too often. I’ve said “NO” to some pretty amazing opportunities in the last couple of years. I don’t regret those decisions. I am confident those opportunities will reappear for me at a time when I am ready to say “YES.”
Q: What does fatherhood mean to you?
Being a dad is harder than any other job on Earth…except maybe being a mom! I have never been challenged before in any other endeavor of my life the way I have been challenged as a parent…and yes that includes medical training and the Ironman!
I think the essence of fatherhood or even parenthood in general is that once you have a child your life is no longer just about yourself. In my opinion, far too many people fail to realize this. Everything I do, no matter how insignificant, could affect my kids in some way. I always need to be thinking about this. Should I forget to think about this, my wife will almost always remind me. For me, parenthood is a partnership. I would be hard pressed to have to do it on my own. I now understand how hard it must have been for my father to be a single dad if only for a few years. I am fortunate to have my wife as my partner in parenthood and I probably don’t let her know that near enough.
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