A new fitness centre for women has opened in Summerland.
As the founding members explain it, “We just created a place that we wanted to come to ourselves.”
Since the soft opening in June, the Summerland Women’s Fitness facility has steadily gained members.
It offers a circuit of 12 hydraulic resistance machines, a treadmill, an exercise bicycle, a vibration machine, hoops, balls, weights and a stretching area.
The members find that the ability to exercise at their own level in friendly, comfortable surroundings works to help them keep up a fitness routine.
This centre began when a previous women’s only exercise facility closed in Summerland.
A group of members met and decided to open a new facility to continue their health and fitness goals.
It took four months of meetings, planning, researching and sometimes just sheer physical labour for a core group of women to achieve their goals.
Rather than a business, founding directors Linda Lumsden, Pat Mayne, Carole Patane, Debbie Farrow, Katherine Beattie, and Betty-Ann Xenis incorporated a non-profit society.
The group found equipment at an auction, and then went looking for a place to rent.
A former dance studio at the Summerfair Mall met the group’s needs, and the directors spent a busy week or two cleaning, painting, and setting up their new space.
The facility is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Starting Oct. 21, it will be open Monday and Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 to 10 a.m.
The founding members take turns overseeing the place when it’s open on a volunteer basis, but hope to be able to hire a part-time receptionist soon.
The Summerland Women’s Fitness Centre will have its official grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its facility in the Summerfair Mall on Prairie Valley Road.
Everyone is welcome to come and take tour, enter the door prize draw and have refreshments.
The members encourage all women to come on down and see how easy starting an exercise program can be.