The city will take another look at programing changes at the Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre.
A recent news release by Delta’s parks and recreation department notes that at the request of a number of patrons, the department introduced changes to its fitness class programming at the Tsawwassen facility last spring. The changes included the addition of requested registered fitness programs, which in turn led to a reduction in the number of drop-in classes.
“Recently, the city has received concerns from residents regarding the fitness class programming changes at Winskill. In response, Delta’s parks, recreation and culture department is working to resolve these issues by making further adjustments to its registered and drop-in fitness class schedules at Winskill,” department director Ken Kuntz explained.
“The city thanks all residents and patrons for their feedback and patience as we strive to meet the fitness goals of all ages and ability levels.”
Several residents raised a number of concerns about the changes, including Jane Drinkwater, who in a letter to Delta council stated, “The implementation of registered classes (as opposed to drop- in) has led to cancellations, loss of individual fitness improvements, disappointments and economical unfairness. Management, and the powers that be, justify these changes by using reasoning and words such as ‘progressive’ or striving to make all facilities uniform.
“We pay for admission and are told to pay again for Pilates, Yin Yoga or Restorative Yoga at our fancy facility after years of doing these classes as drop-in.”
In a response memo to council, Todd Stewardson with parks and recreation department noted the move to registered classes in early 2018 allowed patrons to receive a higher, more personalized level of instruction provided through registration fees.
“As the instructor becomes familiar with the patron’s needs and development, the instructor can support the patron’s fitness progression,” he explained. “Registered programs also enable patrons to secure a consistent scheduled time and location versus drop-in programs where patrons may be turned away due to class capacity.”
He also noted that from the spring of 2018 through the 2019 winter season, Delta has offered over 120 drop-in fitness classes at no additional charge beyond the admission or membership fee. In comparison, Winskill offered 13 registered fitness programs during that timeframe.
