FERGUS – The stretching and weight rooms at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex are about to be merged to make way for more office space.
That has some members worried it will become too crowded and potentially unsafe in the weight room, with not enough space to properly stretch before and after workouts.
“I’ve been enjoying working out at the sportsplex weight room for almost two years and I was disappointed to learn that there will be a project to convert a significant portion of the space into offices,” local resident Madelyn Lecsek stated in an email.
“The gym is already modest in size, and I can’t foresee how all of the equipment will fit in the remaining space.
“There certainly won’t be adequate room for stretching and warm-ups.
“I and several gym members who I’ve spoken to will likely cancel our memberships because of this project.”
Lecsek said there is no other space for stretching and warm-up exercises, and the weight room, which is already small, would become too crowded.
“This will be especially concerning during the winter months, when this space gets much busier,” she added.
Lecsek said she’s annoyed that no alternative space has been provided and there has been no opportunity for input or consultation.
“The project was budgeted as a ‘sportsplex office retrofit’ ($160,000) but seemingly no consideration was made regarding the impact on gym users.
“The sportsplex was designed for public recreation, not offices. This counteracts the township’s strategic goal to ‘provide excellent recreational facilities and programs,’” she said.
Managing director of community services Pat Newson said she understands the news appears to have come out of the blue.
“The decision to reduce the size of our fitness centre in favour of administrative space may seem counter-intuitive,” Newson acknowledged in an email.
“Currently the weight room is not as heavily utilized as it once was.
“Our objective is to modify the layout in the current weight room space to allow for removal of redundant or unused equipment in order to create a similar level of service after the current stretching area is removed.
“While we recognize that the overall space is being reduced, the township aims to maintain the overall functionality of the weight room.”
Newson said there is a series of projects planned for the sportsplex this year, including:
- repaving a section of the parking lot that required repairs;
- installing heaters in the stands at Pad B;
- repairing the netting and ceiling at Pad B;
- installing basketball nets in the hall at the sportsplex;
- replacing pool filtration gates;
- updating the public announcement system;
- installing AODA compliant door openers at doors inside facility;
- replacing of the digital sign;
- improving wi-fi and lighting at the sportsplex grounds camping area;
- installing a new disc golf course on the grounds;
- reopening the concession booth; and
- the office retrofit project.
In addition, the township recently announced it has purchased a 90-acre parcel of property adjacent to the sportsplex for future parks and recreation growth.
Newson said the population of Centre Wellington is growing, as is the demand for more and different programs.
Parks staff will eventually be housed in the new operations centre on Gartshore Street when it is constructed, but that is still a few years away.
But recreation staff needs to be located in the rec centres, Newson said, hence the need for more office space.
The township is beginning the process of developing a parks and recreation plan to assess the needs of the community over the next 30 years.
“This plan will take more than a year to complete, and we look for the results of this plan to assist the department in our future planning,” Newson said.
“There will be engagement from the public, and user groups throughout that process. The engagement will begin in September.”
