The Hope Recreation Centre has been transformed just in time for the influx of people looking to transform their bodies.
The mezzanine has been renovated and refreshed to be more welcoming, and to accommodate a wider range of needs for the community. The mezzanine is the centre’s primary fitness location, says assistant manager Mike Freimark. And now, with new flooring, completely renovated washrooms, and bright paint all around, the space has been given new life.
They have created a new meeting space for small groups, updated the concession area into a functional commercial kitchen, and added a water-bottle filling station to encourage people to bring their own reusable water bottles from home.
On a tour of the updated mezzanine, Freimark and new recreation programmer Tamsyn Clarke discussed the new potential for the space.
Clarke points to a long black bar that hangs from the ceiling. It’s the backbone of a TRX suspension training system, and will be featured in classes through the recreation centre now. The beauty of the system is that it doesn’t take up space while not in use, as additional equipment is added for each workout.
That’s all kept in the storage area, along with spin class bikes, yoga mats, exercise balls and all the other accoutrements needed for the centre’s wide array of classes offered.
The new flooring not only brightens up the space, Freimark says it will offer “a little more give” for people when they’re exercising.
And the new kitchen will be the perfect place for the cooking and science programming — classes like Mad Scientists for children, and South Asian cooking for adults.
It’s also going to be a more welcoming space to watch the upcoming Montreal Canadiens Alumni game, where the VIP section will be set up.
There will be an open house in the coming months, but the mezzanine has already been in use for classes.
Clarke encourages anyone who is new to the community, or has made a resolution to get healthier, to drop into the centre and see what’s available.
It’s important to start off on the right foot, she says, and that can mean building a program that meets individual needs — from nutrition to physical activity. And perhaps most importantly, she says, be consistent.
To learn more about what’s available, drop in or check out the online guide at www.fvrd/recreation.
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