» Facility Profile Having it All
An inspiring space plus outstanding programming and staff members results in accolades for the Bracebridge Sportsplex
remember birthdays, anniversaries, when a member returns after a long absence. We have consoled and cried when members have lost their fight with an illness. We feel like proud par- ents when kids in our day camps grow up and we hire them on as camp staff.
A facility in touch with nature Everyone comments on the
Muskoka-look of our building. The co- louring, architecture, wall coverings and windows capture and emulate the beautiful landscape around us, which sometimes includes deer and bears! The wood, glass and stone make our space feel like a weekend retreat. The bright natural light streams through the windows. Our main lobby is wrapped with
wide windows; a climbing wall spreads across the back wall with doors that open to our accessible playground and outdoor track. The relaxing atrium serves as a gathering place for par- ents readying children for swimming, groups of aqua ladies, “track it” mem- bers and students with homework. Our 32-foot climbing wall has had
many successes. In its first year alone it hosted almost 120 birthday par- ties along with team-building special events. We even gained sponsorship
BY FYONNA VANDERWERF “I
sn’t it obvious? The Bracebridge Sportsplex represents the best of Muskoka!” This was reception- staff Lynda’s answer when asked what makes us so special.
Our facility, which opened in 2006
after 10 years of planning and con- struction and at a cost of $16.8 million, has surpassed all expectations. A re- cent visitor compared our facility to a high-end big-city hotel: clean, contem- porary, professional and friendly.
All about the members We think of the Sportsplex as a con-
scientious preventer of boredom. As a team, our staff make the building breathe with healthy pancake socials, coffee get-togethers, holiday potlucks and nutrition breaks—events where sometimes over 100 members are in attendance. Visit one of our fitness breaks held in the lobby, and you’ll see over 50 members challenging each other in a squat-off or a plank contest.
32 Fitness Business Canada May/June 2016 How do we know it’s St. Patrick’s
Day? Our wildly-popular aquatic in- structor Silvia Smith has been known to teach, dressed as a leprechaun, and to hand out green smoothies after class. On the track upstairs, our walk- ing club might be enjoying post-class spinach muffins. Our classes in the lap and thera-
py pools continue to be our strongest membership classes. For example, our aqua cycling program has grown from one bike to 12. The bikes are used by endurance athletes through to post- physio members with hip replace- ments. Our Triathlon Train program sells out a month before the session starts. We encourage our members and
cheer them on. Frank, for example, couldn’t walk safely on land due to mobility issues. But when he trained hard to swim 40 lengths of the pool, one of our programmers took him out to lunch to celebrate. As staff, we have attended wed-
dings, funerals and anniversaries. We
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