Combo-membership option for Coaldale Rec Centre, Twisted Steel

Posted on October 10, 2024 by Sunny South News

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

A partnership between a local fitness centre and the Town of Coaldale was approved by council on a trial basis.

During their regular Sept. 16 council meeting, Coaldale council discussed a proposed membership option between Town of Coaldale and Twisted Steel Fitness Centre within the Shift Community Recreation Centre. Coun. Jordan Sailor, who is the president of Twisted Steel, had excused himself from discussions and the vote due to conflict of interest.

The proposal is for a joint monthly membership between the town and Twisted Steel within the rec centre, and would have a comprehensive membership package that would allow holders to access both town-owned and Twisted Steel areas within the rec centre. If approved, the town would first offer it as a pilot project for a fixed term between Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. Following the trial period, the town could look into further options.

Previously, on Oct. 26, 2020, the then Coaldale town council had approved the original business plan for the rec centre, which had included a vision for collaborative programming and partnerships with local fitness providers. In the report to council, town administration had noted that the proposed combination membership proposal aligns with this sentiment, and would be a practical way to implement the strategic objectives in that plan.

“The combined membership is designed to address community demand for more flexible and cost-effective fitness solutions. Essentially, another membership option that doesn’t already exist, and to note, there isn’t any membership item that are removed because of this,” said Scott Boyd, community services operations manager for the town.

The proposed membership would be priced at $78.50 for adults and $63 for youth/teen or students. Currently, the town charges $42/month for adults and $32 for seniors/teens/students, while Twisted Steel charges $60 and $50 for each group. This would be a significant discount compared to purchasing separate memberships. Sales would be slip 40/60 in Twisted Steel’s favor, with membership sales taking place at the rec centre’s front desk. Boyd noted that Twisted Steel was in support of this initiative, and is committed for joint promotional efforts. Community feedback also indicated support for it, and it had been a frequently asked question since the opening of the Shift Community Recreation Centre.

Coun. Jason Beekman asked that for term-pass holders, if there was an opt-in option for Twisted Steel clients. Boyd said in the case of fixed-term memberships, they could look into canceling that membership and changing it to their desired membership while waiving the fee.

Coun. Bill Chapman requested they come back to council following the review date with an update on the pilot.

Council passed a motion to approve the implementation of the combined membership as proposed in a 6-0 vote. Sailor did not take part in the vote, and was not seated at the council table at the time.