Some 300 people will need to join the new fitness centre to cover operational costs when the Woolwich Memorial Centre opens next month. The township is budgeting on that number to pay for the $132,000 contract council this week awarded to the company that will run the training facility.
Membership fees have been set at $480 per year ($40/month) for the time being, with 300 to 325 people needed off the start, recreation director Larry Devitt told councillors meeting Tuesday night.
Personal Best Health and Performance Inc. of Caledon will be paid $11,000 a month to manage and staff the operation. Under the arrangement approved this week, the company will provide a full-time fitness manager, part-time staff to cover weekday mornings and evenings and weekend hours, plus group instructors.
In order to provide convenience and to entice potential members, the centre will be staffed much of the day while the WMC is open.
“[T]he program will require time to build and develop a clientele, thus the need to hit the ground running with a service available to the public for as many hours a day as possible,” he said in a report to council.
The contract is for one year. After that time, the township will review the arrangement to see if hours and staffing need to be adjusted upward or downward.
As the program develops, shorter-term, family, fitness/aquatic and corporate rates will be investigated for inclusion as options.
The deal with Personal Best Health requires the township to provide all equipment and supplies for the fitness centre. To that end, councillors also approved spending $135,000 with National Fitness Products of Canada for a variety of training equipment.
So far, the list features 20 pieces of cardio equipment, including nine spin bikes, three treadmills, two elliptical machines and three upright bikes. As well, there will be an assortment of free weights, and a studio featuring mats, stability balls and related equipment.
A budget of $100,000 has been augmented by $53,000 from the Ontario Trillium Fund, leaving a surplus of $17,000.
Noting the opening is approaching, Coun. Murray Martin questioned Devitt about the timelines for delivery and installation of the equipment. The recreation director said he’s been assured the facility will be ready to go prior to the official opening Sept. 12.
