Members of long-established Surrey Gymnastic Society (SGS) say they face the "heartbreaking" prospect of closing due to a substantial rent increase that has pushed operating costs beyond what they can sustain.
The non-profit club has operated in Newton for nearly 46 years, producing many champion gymnastics along the way. Currently, close to 200 are signed up for both recreational and competitive gymnastics programs in a complex off 78 Avenue.
"We’re the only competitive gymnastics club in Surrey, a place where aspiring athletes train to become champions," club co-ordinator Nasi Loni wrote in an email to the Now-Leader.
"Just in our last competition, several of our athletes brought home gold medals, a testament to the dedication, talent and potential that lives within these walls. If we close, we’re not just shutting down a building, we’re taking away the dreams of local kids who could be the next gymnastics stars."
It's been a tumultuous few years for the club, which in 2021 was forced to move from a building at Frank Hurt Secondary at a time when pandemic gathering restrictions cut into membership numbers.
Expiring June 30 is a lease for around $15,000 a month, and Toronto-based Colliers MacAulay Nicolls says they now want $21,000 for the ground-floor gym at Newton Omniplex Centre.
It's a lot of money for a relatively small club that wants to grow membership.
"We have reached out to the city for assistance, but our request was denied, leaving us with limited options and a ticking clock," Loni says.
The club's board has asked the landlord to freeze the rent at the current amount, but their request hasn't been answered.
"We've always had a good community," said Vanessa Medeiros, a coach since 2006. "We do build good gymnasts, but we also focus on just keeping youth in sport, having good experiences and becoming well-rounded individuals for the future. Our program is smaller now, and I think that had lots of factors because of moving gyms, a pandemic, different coaches. I'm still here because I like working with gymnasts and helping them reach their potential."
In a group meeting Thursday (May 8), parents talked about how much SGS programs have meant for their kids, some of whom have found gymnastics as "their thing" in life and don't want to go to another gym elsewhere, for loyalty reasons.
"We have good community of parents," said Jagdeep Gill, board president. "Everyone's helping here, everybody is trying their best to keep this facility going. Right now we just want to survive."
To make money, the club rents out the facility to others for yoga classes, adult gym time, birthday parties and more, and operates summer camps.
Brittany Eldridge grew up as a gymnast with the club, and now coaches.
"This has been our second home," she said of siblings and family, "and my best friends came from gymnastics.
"I would love to see us keep running," Eldridge added. "We have a lot of dedicated people here who are committed and willing to make it run, you know. Vanessa and I've been here a long time and we, we don't coach for money, that's for sure. Like, you don't go into teaching or coaching for money, you go into it because you want to help kids. I want to give back to the same community that was home for me and help them (young gymnasts) see their potential and build those friendships."
