Small gyms struggling under capacity limits: survey Manitoba Fitness Council calls for extra relief for smaller facilities
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/06/2020 (1609 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A council representing local fitness centres says the province’s “one size fits all” approach to rent relief won’t work out.
A survey conducted by the Manitoba Fitness Council of gyms that opened after June 1 found revenue was low even considering restrictions placed by the provincial government — more than half of gyms surveyed are at or under 25 per cent of pre-COVID-19 capacity, despite currently being limited to 50 per cent capacity.
These numbers are a cause for alarm for smaller, local gyms, according to MFC executive director Stephanie Jeffrey, who noted that 85 per cent of gyms that responded are currently only able to have 25 people maximum in their facilities.
“Small gyms … are the real big issue, because they don’t have corporate dollars standing behind them, and they’re left to their own devices,” she said.
The MFC is calling for additional commercial rent relief for fitness centres that don’t have corporate backing, and a statement from the council says the province should “recommend different rules for different types of fitness clubs and studios.” Jeffrey said a common concern with local gyms are landlords “not always being easy to deal with.”
Elderly adults bring additional concerns
Reh-Fit Centre CEO, Sue Boreskie, at the facility’s re-opening Monday after closing because of COVID-19.
While gyms across the province were able to open June 1, some – particularly those that serve an at-risk clientele – are only now opening.
Rady JCC Fitness Centre in Tuxedo, the Wellness Institute in the Seven Oaks Hospital and the Reh-Fit Centre on Taylor all opened to the public Monday after spending months closed owing to COVID-19 restrictions.
While gyms across the province were able to open June 1, some – particularly those that serve an at-risk clientele – are only now opening.
Rady JCC Fitness Centre in Tuxedo, the Wellness Institute in the Seven Oaks Hospital and the Reh-Fit Centre on Taylor all opened to the public Monday after spending months closed owing to COVID-19 restrictions.
All three gyms have specialized programs for elderly adults, and with that comes additional concerns.
A number of people of all ages have stopped by the Reh-Fit Centre on its opening day, CEO Sue Boreskie said, and as of noon Monday the facility was looking at hosting about 30 per cent of its usual capacity – above the average suggested by gyms surveyed by the Manitoba Fitness Council.
“It’s such a happy environment to have people back exercising again,” she said.
While Boreskie stressed the Reh-Fit Centre hosts some very fit elderly members, there are some people who attended the gym to receive rehabilitative exercise programs.
These Reh-Fit programs continued through the closure online and over the phone.
“There are some programs like our cardiac rehab program, which is different than those who are just coming to exercise on their own, we have a home-based model that’s happening right now,” she said.
The plan is to continue those programs digitally for now, to ensure those with pre-existing health conditions won’t have to come in. The gym has left it up to members whether or not they would like to come to the gym in person again, and will continue to honour COVID-19 membership rate freezes.
“The graduates of some of those programs have joined as members, and that’s their choice if they want to come back right away,” she said.
malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: malakabas_
“I know that there are some commercial rent relief programs out there, but the landlord has to take a hit on that as well,” she said.
“And from what I’m hearing, the landlords that are leasing these small spaces are not interested in taking a hit at all or helping the business out.”
The federal government launched the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program was launched last month, but the program requires landlords to apply rather than tenants. Several local business groups sent a letter to Premier Brian Pallister in late May which demanded Manitoba follow the lead of other provinces and place a temporary moratorium on small business evictions.
At local fitness centre MORFIT, which has been in Winnipeg for nine years, things are moving slowly but steadily, manager Jon Belanger said.
“We’re starting to see increased numbers and some new faces at both of our locations, and we’ve seen an overwhelmingly positive response from our members in terms of following the guidelines set in place,” he said.
The gym has two locations – one in St. Boniface, which can currently host 37 gym-goers at 50 per cent capacity, and one downtown, which can currently host 50 – but neither have been hitting those numbers since both gyms reopened June 1.
MORFIT has had to make some changes to maintain safety protocols – showers and drinking fountains are shut down, gym sessions are limited to an hour, workouts can be reserved online – in hopes of making it to 50 per cent capacity.
“Commercial rent relief would be an excellent idea, that would certainly help weather the storm for us, both in the short term and down the road, unless we start to see things really pick up, and those 50 per cent targets start to be realized.”
Despite this, Belanger said there are no regrets about MORFIT opening when it did, and it has no intention of stopping any time soon.
“It’s building a sense of community where it goes above and beyond fitness for a lot of people,” he said. “And that’s what drove us to want to open as early as we could.”
malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: malakabas_
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