Staff
Thanks to the addition of some new exercise equipment at the Alder Flats Gym, there should be no excuses in shedding those extra pounds gained over the long winter.
The gym, which is located above the local skating rink, now features virtually any piece of equipment required for a total workout.
The gym opened in Sept of 1995,” said member Susan Watson in explaining the development of the gym. “We rent a part from the Alder Flats Ag Society. Our facility is above the skating rink building and we can look onto the rink so some members bring their children and let them skate while they work out. We have always been in this building. Just this past year we have formed a non-profit society and formed a broad of directors.”
Using the honour system, the gym currently includes 25 key-holding members and attracts between 10 and 20 fitness buffs for their annual Overhaul’n Body Makeover Challenge held every spring for the last four years. In addition, under president and Instructor Rita Duffy, the facility also hosts aerobic and Pilates classes.
And if that isn’t enough, the gym also hosts a Drop a Jean Size Challenge every fall all of which feature a variety of age groups from teens to seniors.
As for equipment, the gym features most any piece of equipment found in similar facilities in much larger communities.
“We have a treadmill, tread-climber, bike, cross trainer, also a complete weight machine and free hand weight and many small pieces of equipment,” Watson said. “We have collected these items through fundraising and government and county grants. Right now we are just adding mats and free weights to gym.”
And while many may enjoy the ‘no pain, no gain’ philosophy of exercising, patrons can also take things much more slowly and methodically while doing a bit of meditating at the same time.
“Rita also holds four classes a week of one hour each featuring a mix of aerobics and Pilates along with group weight training,” Watson said. “Then we have two to four yoga classes each week that are about one and a half hours long. Those are held from Monday to Friday in the mornings and evenings.”
While the gym is partially funded through grants, members also pay fees ranging from $5 for a drop-in session to $30 per month for unlimited use of gym equipment to $40 per month for unlimited classes and gym usage.
As for the hours of operation, because many members are key-holders, they can come and go as they please however any new members must be known to a current member. Usually, classes are held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on weekdays.
As for having such a fully equipped gymnasium in such a small community, Watson for one, said it’s a welcome addition to Alder Flats.
“I really appreciate it. I came from a medium-sized community and we had nowhere near this kind of facility,” she said. “One member was so excited when she saw the gym when she first moved into town five years ago, She uses the gym daily, and trains up there for the breast cancer walk.”
Future plans for the facility include providing dance classes, which are scheduled to begin this fall.