I love the Meadow Park Recreation Centre. I’ve been attending classes there for 20 years. It is a wonderful facility and has kept me in shape. Thank you!
We had a yoga class that was being held on Monday mornings at 9 a.m. It’s a prime exercise time and the class was always full, often with a waiting list. Payment was made with a pass or one-time payment. Recently it was changed to a non-pass-using class. Same time, same instructor. This change more than doubles the cost to attend the class.
When I questioned the change, I was given an explanation that yoga requires special trained instructors, and yoga is sold throughout the valley at a much higher price. I agree that it requires special training, but no more than the instructors teaching circuit training, TRX, step, aquafit, gentle fit. I would argue it takes fewer hours to be a yoga instructor than a fitness trainer. As for comparing costs to other yoga classes, that has nothing to do with it. It is a municipal gym, subsidized by taxes.
I’ve also done some research around the province at recreation centres, and nearly all except Meadow Park provide a senior discount. When I approached the municipality, I was provided with another marketing response indicating they chose to market this recreation centre differently and not provide a senior price. Not a very satisfactory response considering it is a municipal gym.
My question is, why is the muni running Meadow Park like a private gym? It is not a private business and should have input from users/taxpayers. Why can’t we have a senior price—we represent approximately 30 per cent of the population—and why can’t we have an inexpensive yoga option?
After all, the Audain Art Museum gives members a $5 yoga class with a membership. Fix it, please!
