GORE BAY—The response from users of the Gore Bay Fitness Centre is very much positive, as to the new refresh of the facility and its equipment.
“I love it, especially the new equipment that gives your legs a great workout,” stated Lynn Bond at an open house held at the fitness centre, last Saturday. “We are lucky to have this place, it is fabulous.”
Jake Kostecki said, “Everything is better than it was with the new equipment, and the (fitness centre) feels more spacious.”
Nicole Divok, Gore Bay administrative assistant, told The Expositor last week, “in October/November we had provided a report to council for consideration of funds being put aside for the fitness centre, and now the facility and the equipment has undergone a refresh with updated equipment.”
In a report to council in October Ms. Divok explained that the town opened the fitness centre in 2020, which offers an important space for residents and visitors to work out and become the healthiest versions of themselves. The fitness centre offers a combination of free weights, machines, cardio machines, and other fitness equipment to accommodate workouts of all varieties. There are also showers, bathrooms, and lockers available for use.
The fitness centre is open 24 hours, seven days a week with access via an electronic FOB.
When the fitness centre originally opened, some of the fitness centre equipment had been purchased new while a number of pieces of equipment were donated or previously used. As a result, the equipment had entered the end of its useful life. Recently, some equipment has been put out of service and other pieces have required replacement parts which are now more difficult to obtain due to the age of the equipment, and obsolescence of the equipment. “The town public works department was dealing with treadmills that kept going down as well as other equipment,” Ms. Divok told the Expositor. “And we received a lot of membership complaints about treadmills and other equipment breaking down.”
Ms. Divok had said in her presentation to council last fall, “Town staff believe that now is the time to modernize the fitness centre, which presents an exciting opportunity to enhance community engagement, promote health and wellness, retain our members, as well as attract new ones. By upgrading the fitness centre with new equipment, and creating an inviting space for members, the gym can become a vibrant hub for fitness enthusiasts.” “This refresh not only revitalizes the community’s commitment to healthy living but also boosts local pride and encourages a more active lifestyle, ultimately fostering a strong, more connected community. Investing in this modernization will ensure the gym meets contemporary fitness needs while inspiring future generations to prioritize their health.”
In December the town issued a request for proposal and after the completion of a mandatory site visit and a review of proposal was completed, the town awarded the project to AkFit Fitness Specialty Store in early January for approximately $50,000 which was part of the town budget. As part of this refresh, some new pieces of equipment were purchased, along with a newly optimized layout.
“We are seeing more people signing up as members, and former members returning to the fitness centre, and we are hoping these numbers will continue to increase with the upgrades that have been made,” said Ms. Divok.
Funding for this project has been secured through donations, there will be no impact to the town tax levy.
