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be useful for our members,” says Smith, whose annual capital is about $20,000-$25,000. But Smith knows that not mixing in
some of the trendier pieces on the mar- ket can present risks of its own. “With the connectedness of our cul-
ture, people are really into fitness, and they might choose or not choose your facility based on how on-trend you are,” he says. As a result, for some purchases he
looks to the fringes of the trends for equipment that has a traditional foun- dation but with a specialized twist. While Smith knows he can stretch
TREND OR TRADITIONAL?
With more equipment options than ever on the market, choosing the right mix can be a challenge
that’s on offer. “I receive literature from the ma-
A
jor companies, I correspond with sales reps and I’m always checking out the equipment at conferences,” says Smith, program supervisor of adult fitness and wellness at the Canada Games Complex in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Smith knows that shiny new equip-
ment is one surefire way to keep both members and staff motivated. “Who doesn’t want to fill their space
with the most awesome equipment out there?” he asks rhetorically. But with 40,000 square feet, multiple
floors and rooms, and 3,000 members of all types—including pro athletes, high schoolers and older adults—new equipment purchases are a particularly
36 Fitness Business Canada January/February 2017
s the person responsible for his facility’s equipment pur- chases, Darrik Smith is on top of all the latest equipment
big decision for the municipally-run centre. “We skew towards the tradition-
al, like treadmills, bikes and ellipti- cals, because we know they’ll always
his budget dollars further with tra- ditional equipment (“We get can of- ten get two for the price of one trendy piece,” he says), he and his staff are about to pilot a completely new pro- gram—yoga and stand-up paddle boarding group exercise classes that utilize floating yoga mats—in their Olympic-size pool. “We have a really large aquatic
space, and we need to monetize it,” he says. “There’s a lot of outdoor stand-up paddleboarding in our area, so we’ll be building on that trend.” Smith is making a wise move, ac-
cording to Brian Furlong, owner of Advantage Fitness Sales, the Ontario platinum authorized dealer for LifeFitness and Hammersmith fitness equipment,. “People are expecting the traditional
equipment when they join a club, but they’re also looking for something new that they can graduate into without having to join another facility or pro- gram,” says Furlong. “With the fitness business so competitive now, this is an excellent way for a club to differentiate itself.” FBC
“We have a really large aquatic space, and we need to monetize it. There’s a lot of outdoor stand- up paddle- boarding in our area, so we’ll be building on that trend.” - Darrik Smith
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