Kincardine Ladies Fitness Co-op hosting open house Monday

What do you do when the fitness centre you've been attending for years, puts a closed sign on the door? Well, you purchase it and start a co-operative.

That's what a group of ladies has done in Kincardine.

Members of the FitWorx facility in downtown Kincardine (formerly Curves) wondered what they were going to do when the gym closed last April.

"In early August, a group of us got together and decided we wanted to keep it going," says Heather Finnie. "So we looked at different locations and two weeks later, we heard the old rehabilitation centre was available. We also realized that we needed 40 members committed for a year in order to make this work."

The ladies contacted Jason Kirkconnell, owner of the old rehab centre building, and he divided up the space, allowing the fitness centre to have part of it. The group also purchased the former FitWorx equipment.

With everything in place, the Kincardine Ladies Fitness Co-op opened Sept. 15, 2015, operated by a nine-member executive, which includes: president Ginny Ross, vice-presidents Anne Bromfield and Dana Howald, secretary Heather Finnie, treasurer Beckie Graham, and directors Nancy Potter, Ann Larocque, Janet Cooper and Lori Weber.

Members pay $50/month for a minimum of three months, and get use of the equipment 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Each member also agrees to work a three-hour shift once per month, helping to clean the facility, among other duties.

"Some people like working out with others around, while some want to work out by themselves," says Finnie.

The centre has 16 pieces of equipment available. A dozen are part of the circuit fitness program used at FitWorx, plus a stretching machine, stepping machine, exercise bike, and the T-zone.

When ladies first join the co-op, they are shown by one of the trainers how to properly use the equipment. An eight-week weight management club also operates through the co-op, and there are plans to add weight-training exercises.

Currently, the centre has 65 members, 10 of whom are seasonal, and is seeking more members.

Ladies are welcome to attend an open house, Monday, Feb. 29, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the fitness centre, located at 226 Queen Street (near Bruce Avenue) - the entrance is on the southeast corner of the building.

"We're inviting ladies to come and see what the centre has to offer," says Finnie, "and if they like it, they can try it out for a month at the $50 price. All levels of fitness can be accommodated here."