Falklands : Leisure Centre: Proposed New Exercise Room
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 20.09.2005 (Article Archived on 04.10.2005)
Steve Dent explains what is needed for a proposed Machines Room at the Leisure Centre.
LEISURE CENTRE PROPOSED NEW EXERCISE ROOM
By J. Brock (FINN)
With Steve Dent
Keep fit addicts have used exercise machines at the Stanley Leisure Centre to the point that they have been in a state of decline over the past two years. Thanks to access to the gym at Hillside Camp keep fit regimes have been kept up but patrons have been put off by the size of the room – a former storage cupboard - and the deteriorating state of their equipment as well. Spares are also unobtainable.
According to Leisure centre Manager, Steve Dent, “It should be noted that I am still waiting for prices from LifeFitness Chile for supply. LifeFitness in the US initially directed our query to the UK distributor to the nearest distributor to the Falklands. This was in Argentina!”
Cheaper commercial machines, he says, are available on the market, however the machines quoted here are the same machines as used by the MOD at MPC and Hillside therefore guaranteeing availability of spares and expertise in maintaining the machines.
He’s taken statistics from a period when the Machines Room was being used on a regular basis by a number of customers. The breakdown of average usage was as follows;
Exercise Bike 20 users a month
Treadmill 135 users a month
Rower 62 users a month
Stepper 55 users a month
Average income from the above usage is £500.00 per month.
To make a Machines Room a success, changes need to be made in that new machines need to be sourced and ideally a new facility needs to be developed. With this in mind, Steve Dent has prepared three proposals:
Option one is preferred because Squash courts are generally under-utilised and the loss of one court will have minimal impact on the income of the centre. A squash court is a good-sized room that will easily accommodate a number of new machines with room for expansion. The room will need little adaptation with plans to initially carpet tile the room and run a ducted electrical circuit around the edge of the room negating the need for permanent change to usage. Additionally the Leisure Centre would be able to utilise the current Machine Room for storage as it was initially intended.
This option allows for an anticipated increase in users as more facilities are developed over time. It is planned under this option to increase the number of machines by 50% therefore anticipating an increase of 50% of usage over time. With the on-going development of the Exercise Referral scheme this figure should be achieved in a reasonably short period of time.
The breakdown for this option is £42.263.00 for the Exercise Machines, £2,190.00 for room fittings with £9,000.00 income it will take 4 years to repay the expenditure.
Converting the Squash Court has the same number of machines in place as at present. There is however scope to allow for an anticipated increase in users as more facilities are developed over time. This option involves a lower initial outlay of funds with a longer repayment period reflecting the anticipated low initial usage figures.
By using the current location we would save on converting the squash court but it is felt that usage would not increase, as the actual space is unsuitable and there is no room for expansion. However, it is felt that while usage will not increase, the income will stay as it is now and the Machines Room income will remain steady.
The breakdown for this option is that it will cost £25,857.00 and that the income will be £6,000.00 a month. At this rate it will take four years to pay off.
It is clear that a major change is needed in order to keep the Machines Room a viable option. The Leisure Centre and the KEMH are currently undertaking a review of the Exercise Referral Scheme and the re-development of the Machines Room with room for adaptation will ensure that progress is made.
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