Invercargill gym owners oppose plans for City Council funded fitness centre

Invercargill fitness centre owners are rallying against a proposal by Invercargill City Council to build a $795,000 gymnasium at the Splash Palace swimming complex.

For several years the Council has considered building a fitness facility at the Splash Palace, with the latest plans tabled at meeting of the Council’s Regulatory Services Committee in February.

The estimated total cost to build the gym of $795,000 would be augmented by the cost of additional changing rooms, modifications to the facility’s cafe and foyer and external works – bringing the total to an estimated $2.137 million.

The Council plan for the gym to fitness opportunities for unhealthy and obese people in the city who did not normally use gyms.

However, Invercargill gym owners disagreed, outlining their concerns in letters to the Council reported by local newspaper The Southland Times

Advance Fitness Director Clayton Sinclair said a Council-run gym in Invercargill was inappropriate and unnecessary.

He believed it would financially harm current fitness centres in Invercargill without offering anything new for the residents.

Sid Cumming of World Health and Fitness Invercargill said there were already too many gyms in Invercargill and it was difficult to make ends meet.

Southland YMCA said they were also against the council building or operating a commercial gym and Invercargill did "not need another gym within a 1.6 kilometre radius of five other facilities".

The suggested adult swim/gym membership of $700 a year was "hardly affordable", especially for the economically disadvantaged, YMCA adde.

The Regulatory Services Committee meeting heard Councillor Peter Kett saying that a Council-owned gym would take business away from Invercargill's current fitness centres, some of whom were already finding it difficult to make ends meet.

The issue will go out for public consultation at a later date before the Council makes its decision.

30th March 2015 - SPLASH PALACE’S ‘POOL POOPER’ TAKES BUSINESS ELSEWHERE

5th September 2013 - INVERCARGILL CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS SELLING OFF PUBLIC PARKS