Red Deer residents with a late-night urge to exercise now have a place to go.
Snap Fitness opened in Red Deer on Feb. 24 — and has yet to close.
Located in Highland Green Plaza at 88 Howarth St., the 24/7 gym has cardio equipment, free weights and weight machines, and a stand-up tanning booth, said Leigh Ostiguy, who owns the franchised business with her husband Tim. It’s staffed during traditional gym hours, with members able to get in with an access card thereafter.
“It’s 24-hour security surveillanced,” said Ostiguy.
The 3,600-square-foot gym is the couple’s third Snap Fitness centre. They opened an outlet in Sylvan Lake in January 2009 and another in Lacombe in May of the same year.
“It’s going fantastic,” said Ostiguy of the Central Alberta market.
Many residents in the area perform shift work, she pointed out, with health-care professionals and police officers among their members. But Ostiguy has noted that other people, particularly young adults, prefer late-night workouts.
“If you’re 20 years old and you don’t have any kids, they show up at midnight to hang out at the gym.”
Some people also like to exercise during off hours when it’s quieter, she said.
With no other 24/7 gyms in Red Deer, the city seemed a logical place to expand into, said Ostiguy.
“We just knew it was a market we could tackle.”
The new business opened quietly, with no signage up yet.
Another Snap Fitness is already planned for south Red Deer, although other owners will operate it, said Ostiguy. She added that Innisfail is also close to becoming a Snap Fitness community, and the corporation’s website shows pending centres in Blackfalds and Olds.
There are approximately 2,200 Snap Fitness locations worldwide. Members of one centre can use others — such as when travelling — said Ostiguy.
“Our long-term goal is to end up with six facilities, but I don’t have a timeline on that,” she said.
The Red Deer Snap Fitness is staffed from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Thursday; from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday; and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.
Additional information about Red Deer Snap Fitness can be found online at www.snapfitness.com/reddeerab.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com