Dirt won’t be the only thing flying in Campbell Park once a new multi-tenant building welcomes its first occupant.
Dynamyx Gymnastics celebrated with developers and city officials in a ground-breaking ceremony on Feb. 14 on Carleton Drive.
Now in construction, the building managed by Colliers International is currently 47 per cent leased, with Dynamyx taking up the largest bay at 24,512 sq. ft. Once finished, the building will have ample parking and marshalling space to suit light industrial and commercial companies looking for a more customized space.
After years of work, being able to secure a larger location built with gymnastics in mind is incredibly exciting, said Cathy Schwer, new building chair for Dynamyx. The new gym is five minutes away from the non-profit’s current location on Chisholm Avenue in Campbell Business Park, which used to be an old bingo hall and roller rink.
“It’s always been an issue for us that we’re not built for gymnastics, we’ve sort of fit into what we have existing,” Schwer said.
Michael Keating, vice president of Colliers International, said it can be difficult for organizations and businesses like the gymnastics club to find a space that suits their unique needs. Having Dynamyx be able to customize the design and layout of their new location in the building just made sense.
“Unfortunately our market in St. Albert has been so soft for the last six years, that landlords are just reluctant to build buildings on spec, especially with a special use like Dynamyx,” Keating said.
In their current location, pillars stand in the middle of the floor, which can present a safety hazard for gymnasts. With athletes practicing gravity-defying spins and jumps, the building’s low ceilings can be problematic, not to mention the building’s aging infrastructure overall, with a cramped vestibule and lack of windows.
This new location will give the club 5,000 square feet of more space, with a larger floor space for recreational and competitive programming, a visual viewing area for the parents to watch, three multipurpose rooms, and designed competitive training spaces.
Since the club started in 1993, Dynamyx has moved three times because of the large increase in registration. On average, the club takes about 2,000 members in their recreational and competitive classes. But outside of just the membership, many people come in for drop-in classes, birthday parties, or other events at the club.
“On average for foot traffic, we’re estimating over 90,000 people,” said Kim Farrell, Dynamyx' executive director. “On an average weekend, we have 12 birthday parties with 15 kids in each one, so you can imagine the numbers that come through.”
Being able to grow their existing programs and accommodate day-to-day traffic is one benefit, but the extra space will also allow the club to develop new programs as well.
Whether its using the fundamentals of gymnastics in swimming, or creating partnerships with other athletic organizations, skills learned in gymnastics are transferrable to most active lifestyles, said Reann Lefebvre, president of the Dynamyx board of directors.
“My boys love it, and their body awareness and their body strength is so transferrable," she said. “One of the coaches here actually taught my oldest how to run so he could vault. He’s a much better runner now because of gymnastics.”
Another six bays are available to rent out to other businesses in St. Albert, and Keating said he expects to see good success leasing out the remaining space.
Having a large parking area and marshalling area in the back, where businesses can unload their trucks or take out deliveries of notable size, will help the building stand out from others in the city, he said.
“We think St. Albert has been, for one reason or another, just reluctant to plan for true industrial buildings. We see a lot of businesses in St. Albert have compromised and they’ve taken spaces that aren’t that efficient for them. This building will be very efficient, and we think it will attract a number of businesses that need to grow, and new businesses that will move into St. Albert.”
