A Sylvan Lake family owned gym is closing its doors permanently.
Scott McDermott, owner of Best Body Fitness, announced in a Facebook Live video the gym will not be able to reopen after the COVID-19 outbreak settles down.
In the video, McDermott said it was not feasible to reopen.
“We’ve run the math and the numbers, and we just can’t make it work,” McDermott said.
All gyms in Alberta had to close by order of the government of Alberta on March 17 to help limit the spread of the virus.
It had never been McDermott’s intention to close the doors to the gym. In the lead up to the provincewide closure of gyms and other recreational facilities, McDermott hoped enhanced cleaning procedures would be enough.
“I get it. We are all trying to be careful and we are all trying to flatten the curve… We can’t continue like this,” he said.
Best Body Fitness opened roughly 18 years ago, and has put on a number of events, sponsored different activities and been a part of the community ever since.
The gym has seen members grow and learn, has given people their first jobs, and has seen children come in for child care, only to have their own memberships now.
McDermott says he has loved helping others achieve their fitness goals and to see the community, and the family at the gym, grow over those years.
“We are a dinosaur, we are one of the last family-run gyms… We have loved every minute of being a part of this community,” said McDermott.
Over the past week, online workouts have been posted for gym members and the public to continue working out during self-isolation.
McDermott says he and his trainers hopes to continue helping people online, though he isn’t sure what that will look like.
“We have to stop, because we can’t do this… After nearly 18 years of being in Sylvan Lake and pouring our hearts and soul into everything we could to be fit and healthy, it’s over.”