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Sylvan Lake gym shuttered due to COVID-19 mandates

Best Body Fitness will not reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic is declared over
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Best Body Fitness announced Saturday evening they would not be reopening with the COVID-19 pandemic comes to an end. Photo by Best Body Fitness

The family-owned gym Best Body Fitness is closing its doors permanently.

Scott McDermott, owner of the gym, announced the gym will not be able to reopen after the COVID-19 outbreak settles down in a Facebook Live video Saturday evening.

In the video McDermott said it was not feasible to reopen, whenever that happens.

“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 province-wide closure of gyms and other recreational facilities, McDermott hoped the 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 in Sylvan Lake 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, have given people their first jobs, and have 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 last week, online workouts have been posted for gym members and the public to continue working out during self-isolation.

He said he had lots of plans and ideas on how to move forward in an uncertain time, not just for him, but for all businesses.

McDermott says he and his trainers hopes to continue helping people online, though he isn’t sure what that will look like at this moment.

“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.”

McDermott finished his live video by thanking everyone for their support, and telling those watching he and the staff at the gym would miss them.