A Barrhead resident and business owner is concerned that the town is going to unfairly compete with his business.
Vincent Wiese, owner of Vince’s Gym, told the Leader, that back in October through the grapevine he heard that the Town of Barrhead was considering the possibility of opening a fitness centre in the upper level of the Agrena in the space Fit for Motion Physiotherapy Clinic now occupies.
He said the owner of the Fit For Motion Physiotherapy Clinic, Murray Tuininga, told him the Town’s Parks and Recreation Department would not be renewing his clinic’s lease because they planned to open a fitness facility in the location.
After hearing this information, Wiese said he then approached Sue Keenan, Barrhead Parks and Recreation director, to see if the rumors were true.
“She said yes, the town was planning to open a fitness centre, saying the town had a huge void in the fitness area here in this town and we are just trying to fill the void,” Weise said, adding that Keenan said the town’s fitness centre would include equipment like spin bikes, elliptical machines and a TRX system.
“I have a TRX system and all those other things in a 5,000 square-foot gym that is not being utilized now,” he said. “I don’t understand why she thinks there is a big void.”
In an effort to confirm the story, Wiese approached Barrhead Mayor Gerry St. Pierre, who told him the town was investigating the possibility of adding a fitness centre as part of the services it offers area residents.
He said he was also concerned about the recreation department’s recent entry into the fitness class arena.
Starting in September the recreation department offered a number of different fitness classes, such as strength training and cardio conditioning.
“Since when does the town compete with local business? I thought we were trying to attract and keep businesses here in Barrhead,” Wiese said, adding that both the proposed fitness centre and the fitness classes are in direct competition with established businesses.
Wiese also questioned how cost effective the classes and fitness centre would be, saying that every other recreation program the town runs loses money.
However, when town council unanimously approved the lease for the Fit For Motion Physiotherapy Clinic, he thought the issue was over, until just recently.
Wiese said a member of the Agrena Society approached him and said the town has asked the society to apply for a government grant that would go towards the purchase of fitness equipment. The fitness equipment would then be used in the now empty space next to the Fit For Motion Physiotherapy Clinic. When the clinic’s lease was renewed, it was for a smaller space.
The Leader asked Sue Keenan if the recreation department was or is considering opening a fitness centre.
Keenan said she did consider the possibility of adding a fitness centre to the services the recreation department offers.
“As part of my duties of Parks and Recreation Director, I have been tasked with ways to increase revenues at the arena and as part of that I did include a proposal in my budget to council for a fitness facility,” Keenan said, adding that council did not approve the request during their budget deliberations.
“They (council) did not want us to compete with the private sector,” she said, adding that she was disappointed with council’s decision.
She said in the majority of municipal run recreational complexes across Canada there is some type of fitness area.
“That is because it is the only part of a public recreational facility that makes money, everything else is subsidized,” Keenan said, adding that there is only so many ways to generate revenue for a public facility.
Barrhead Mayor Gerry St. Pierre agreed with Keenan’s account saying that council did consider the possibility of adding a fitness area at the Agrena complex, however at no time did council say they would not renew the physiotherapy clinic’s lease to house the proposed facility.
“The physiotherapy clinic realized they had too much space, so we negotiated a new five-year lease for a smaller space,” St. Pierre said, adding that the town is currently in the process of making the vacated space useable for another tenant.
St. Pierre said although council decided against adding a fitness equipment area at the Agrena, he did not rule out the possibility in future.
He said one of the reasons council rejected the possibility was that currently the town did not have the money to buy the fitness equipment.
“We have to keep our options open,” St. Pierre said, “It is our responsibility to look at ways to litigate our operating costs at all our facilities and provide alternative services to our residents that may not exist.”
In an effort to keep the town’s options open, he said the town has applied for a grant that could be used to purchase the equipment needed for a fitness facility.
“We are not going to go out of our way to compete with private business,” St. Pierre said, adding that it is possible for a municipal fitness centre to coexist with privately run gyms.
He gave the example of Westlock and Whitecourt which both have a fitness component at their recreational complex, but have successful privately run facilities.
“From the information I have gathered from those communities is that they serve different clienteles,” St. Pierre said.
If the town is successful and receives the grant, which could be used for fitness equipment, town council may not have to make a decision on a fitness facility.
Both Keenan and St. Pierre said the renovations of the vacant space will soon be completed and they both hope it will be rented by a new tenant.
In fact, Keenan said she has already had some interest from a possible tenant who is interested in opening a privately run fitness facility.
