New Year’s resolution season is quickly approaching, and national and local fitness brands are opening new doors in Winnipeg in what the Manitoba Association is calling a fitness boom.
Crunch Fitness, an American low-cost chain, began accepting members on its first day of operation on December 13th. Meanwhile, The Gang Fitness (formerly known as Fit Girl Gang) is renovating its second gym in Winnipeg. We have secured two spaces of our own in the past year.
“I think we’re in a very positive place right now,” said Stephanie Jeffrey, executive director of the Manitoba Fitness Council.
John Woods / Free Press Johanna Chambers, owner of The Gang Fitness, said her members prefer in-person instruction.
The council represents approximately 750 fitness instructors and personal trainers in Manitoba. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Winnipeg gyms have seen a 20 per cent closure rate and an exodus of trainers.
The pandemic was difficult, and even though gyms closed and reopened under government orders, the years that followed were “really tough,” Jeffrey said.
Most local gyms didn’t have more than 75% of their pre-pandemic enrollment in 2023, Jeffrey said. But in 2024, the return will be significant, she said.
“Our doors open every day with new people interested in joining the industry.”
The City Council job board is regularly flooded with postings. Jeffrey said instructors are being asked to teach additional classes. She cited social connections and a focus on health post-pandemic as reasons for the recovery.
Johanna Chambers, owner of The Gang Fitness, agreed: “I think it’s just a shift in more human connection and the desire to be a part of something.”
Until this year, her company, which focuses on strength training and caters to women and non-binary clients, rented space at three gyms for hours on end. We currently call two of our three locations our own.
Gang Fitness has launched a training program (three times a week for 14 weeks) for members in 2022. We lost 60% of our customers. They were used to a different format, Chambers recalled.
Still, the program has grown to the point where it requires different hours to accommodate customers. (Gang Fitness also needs space where other businesses aren’t interrupted by cheers and music, Chambers noted.)
She opened her first rented gym at 1224 Chevrier Blvd. September of this year. Chambers has also cordoned off the second floor of 51 Heaton Avenue, which is undergoing renovations.
She counted 50 direct clients during the 2022 session. This fall, she had 300 subscribers. She anticipates 450 participants for sessions starting in January.
“A big reason people go to the gym is social connection,” Jeffrey says. “Gang Fitness is focused on that.”
Chambers launched a fitness app in 2022, but it failed to garner the attention she hoped for and was shut down due to a coding flaw.
As a result, Chambers surveyed members and found they wanted in-person instruction, leading to the introduction of a strength training program. She leans toward face-to-face. To attract more members, we host a number of free training sessions that are publicly available on The Gang Fitness website.
Winnipeg was the latest destination in Crunch Fitness’ Canadian expansion plans. The New York-based brand aims to open 50 sites in Canada by the end of 2025. By the end of October, there were about 30 people.
Crunch Fitness did not respond to questions by print deadline.
Gregory Liverpool appeared at the soft launch on December 13th. He expected to be able to get through the doors at 143 Nature Park Way sooner. The company had previously announced a May opening, but that deadline has passed.
“Communication could have been better,” Liverpool said, adding that there were very few people inside the building when he visited.
Crunch Fitness’ prices attracted him. Membership prices range from $9.99 to $32.99 per month. The 25,000 square foot property offers classes, group training, tanning and other programs.
“Price-wise, it’s going to be pretty hard to compete with this,” says Brickhouse Gym owner Paul Taylor.
He opened a 13,000 square foot store. Last year, Brickhouse opened its third gym in Winnipeg at 1146 Waverly Street.
Taylor said he hasn’t seen a significant increase in customers since the pandemic. While his latest site has attracted new members, his other two sites have lost members due to the coronavirus.
Mr Taylor said home gyms were being built during lockdown, making the cost of living higher. “Gyms are probably one of the (memberships) that will probably be canceled if people can’t afford it.
“Things are pretty stable. I wouldn’t say we’re experiencing a boom.”
Mr Taylor said Brickhouse Gym would have made further progress in paying down its growth-related debt if it didn’t have to pay off its pandemic-related debt first.
Statistics Canada tracked year-over-year growth in fitness and recreational sports centers across the country last year, with 9,493 in June 2023, up from 9,064 in June 2023.
Fitness center operating revenue in 2022 approached $4.3 billion. This number was slightly lower than the $4.5 billion recorded nationally in 2019, but up from $3 billion in 2021.
Gabriel Pichet
reporter
Gabriel Pichet reports on business. free press. She interned at free press Working at its sister store, Canstar Community Newsbefore entering Business Beat in 2021. Read more about Gabriel.
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