But the market is big year-round, as evidenced by what happened when the YMCA opened its new facility last fall. One month after opening day, the Y had sold about 2,100 memberships, which translates into 5,000 or so people, says Don Darnell, YMCA executive director.
“It’s about what we expected,” Darnell says.
“The pre-opening sales were more than anticipated. At this point, we’re very pleased with the number of people who have joined.”
Darnell downplays the competitive aspect. Sure, there are a lot of fitness clubs around town, but Darnell says that clubs cater to niches.
“We all serve a different part of the community,” Darnell says.
While FitClub provides child care while members work out, the Y, which also offers child care, has an array of fitness programs and classes specifically for kids that range from gymnastics to swimming to summer camps. The Y, a nonprofit organization, also welcomes economically disadvantaged folks, Darnell says.
“People who can’t afford the full cost, we work with them,” Darnell says.
Just as St. John’s Hospital partners with FitClub, the YMCA and Memorial Medical Center worked together to build the new center on West Iles Avenue. “If you look at a lot of the trends that are occurring across the country, you see a lot of fitness centers and hospitals working together to promote community health,” says Kevin England, vice president of business development for Memorial Health Systems. “There’s no better way for us to integrate our services than with a program like the YMCA that promotes healthy lifestyles and wellness.”
Besides rehabbing injured athletes, Memorial also helps train athletes who want to become bigger, faster and stronger while also keeping cardiac rehab patients on the right track.
Fitness World, by contrast, aims for an older clientele.
“The high schoolers, they’re in during the season and then they’re gone,” Daniels says.
The swimming pool water at Fitness World is a bit warmer than in other centers, Daniels says, and there is no spinning equipment because there’s already plenty enough to go around in other fitness clubs. Daniels says that fitness is becoming more popular with seniors and sees no coincidence that the new YMCA facility opened within walking distance of Concordia Village, a retirement community.
“You just have to specialize,” Daniels says.
“I think our seniors are more active than they used to be.”
While some say that the fitness market is saturated, Daniels sees room for growth. She credits the media for keeping fitness in the public mind.
“I think a lot of it is television – almost every day, if you watch the national news, they’re plugging something about fitness,” Daniels says. “I don’t think it’s reached a saturation point because people are finally getting it.”
Suhadolnik, who has worked in fitness centers for 30 years, says Springfield is close to saturation and that capitalism can explain the mushrooming number of gyms and health clubs.
“It might be because there’s a lot of people who think there’s a quick buck in it,” Suhadolnik said. “There isn’t a quick buck anywhere in sight – trust me.”
Contact Bruce Rushton at [email protected]
