As staff at the two London, Ont. Movati Athletic Club locations prepared to lock the doors for the final time, the closure of the two sites, announced on Tuesday, left many shaking their heads in disbelief.
“This leaves kind of a sour taste in my mouth,” says one member who arrived Wednesday to the Wonderland Road South location. “I’ve been here 20 years and you get like a day-and-a-half notice.”
The fitness chain announced both its Wonderland Road South and Wonderland Road North locations would be closed permanently as of 6:00 p.m. Wednesday.
The closures affect more than 100 staff members and several thousand gym members, according to the company.
Among the casualties is the Rowbust Dragon boat team, made up of breast cancer survivors. Team member Shantal Feltham tells CTV News London Movati has been a major supporter, allowing them to support cancer charities. She says Movati allowed team members to workout free of charge.
“In the winter, that’s what lets us get that edge over everyone else, when we’re working out together as a team,” she explains. “So now we have to find someplace else that’s going to let us be the best version of us so we can go out and show other breast cancer survivors that there is life after a diagnosis.”
Movati has 18 locations across Canada, but only the London locations are closing.
The company declined CTV News London’s request for an interview, but in a news release cited pandemic shut-downs as a contributing factor, adding “the economics of the London real estate market were no longer sustainable.”
It’s a statement that London commercial realtor George Georgopoulos takes exception to.
“Well, it’s a self-serving comment I would think because it’s just not true,” says Georgopoulos. “London is still very affordable and becoming more affordable. Even at its peak it was one of the lower prices in Canada.”
The property owner of the two London Movati locations, Southside Group, did not respond to CTV News London’s request for comment.
In the meantime, Movati says members who had pre-paid memberships will be reimbursed any outstanding balances.
