ExtremeFitnessForum

extr · Joined: 17 Jul 2007 Posts: 39

I went to the gym Danforth last night, and stayed until after 10:30 PM. It was still overcrowded!!! I wanted to use tthe bicycle/class room but it was too full, and of people i've never seen before, clearly all new members. I can't find a time to go it when it is not overcrowded. i'm going to make a complaint with the government. this should be regulated, otherwise they can just have as many people in there are they can sucker in, without liimits. It's ridiculous.

Little good the offer to go to other Extreme gyms, afterall, it's all about location. if I'm goint to go to another gym, i'mgoing to switch memberships and go to another gym all the time. I just dont' understand why they keep jamming more people in there. Is it this busy at other Extreme gyms?

I paid when it was still Oxygen, I'm going to see if I can cancel my membership and get my money back

BTW, the men's sauna was closed again last night, and there was no hot water inthe bathroom... and no compensation for all this

boubou · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 4

Hi,
I work at Yonge/Carlton and I walked to the Wellington gym. Tonight, I am going to walk to the Bay/Bloor gym. Going to other locations will not solve the horrible situation/treatment at the Danforth gym. But until the renovations are finally done, unfortunately, that's what I will do. I live at Millwood/Overlea, so one way or another, I have to walk or take the TTC to get to the gym.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 136

I just don't understand why the Danforth location is such a disaster. It really puzzles me. How could they have apparently nice locations with great facilities (apparently), but leave the Danforth location a disaster for so long now. These renovations should have been done in a month. There's no excuse. They've owned this gym since Nov I believe.... LAST YEAR!!! That's almost a year, with virtually no improvements, a HUGE decline in services, then a steady decline ever since. It just boggles my mind. I hope they sell off this location.

Voted with my feet · Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 9

Good to hear. It wasn't an option for me. The Wellington and a few other locations were "special rate" or "special class of club" within the Extreme family of clubs, but without the inter-club visiting priviledges.

I trust the new arrangement is only temporary (i.e., during construction). It's too bad because The Wellington is only a block from my office. If access was granted to me earlier, I may not have quit, but ridden out the storm.

At any rate, I don't think I fall within Extreme Fitness' demographic target market. My impression is that we're just not a good fit -- certainly based on the direction they've taken the club. I regret that it took me so long to figure it out. (You shouldn't HATE your club. I hated Extreme. I didn't want to attend. I tried to change them through the normal channels -- bringing issues forward to management, but eventually I realized that it was me that needed the change. I wish you guys -- who are still hanging in there -- much success.)

The good news is that I am loving Pure Fitness. I recognize that many ex-Oxygen Fitness members have preceded me there.

As you may know, some of principals behind Pure Fitness were formally involved with Oxygen (i.e., Anthony). The trade-off is that you have to drive to Pure Fitness, but your rewarded with terrific facilities, friendly staff and members, and guaranteed parking!!

admin · Site Admin Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 136

It has dawned on me also, recently, that this new club is just not the kind of club I want to work out in. It had features that were important to me, but those are virtually all gone anyway. Why stay with a company clearly based on greed?! And be unhappy every time I go. Just doesn't make sense. It seems clear now that Extreme has no intention of improving conditions for its Danforth members, any time soon.

ExtremelyAngry · Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 114 Location: Riverdale, Toronto

Sometimes I wonder if the renovations are taking a long time because the building, a former movie theatre, requires some weird structural reinforcement that was not anticipated.

Somebody elsewhere on this forum raised the issue that all those treadmills and ETs on the second level were too close together and seemed a bit heavy. I am no engineer. But that could be a possibility.

If this is the case, my confidence in the place is diminished.

Note that this is PURE SPECULATION on my part.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 136

They keep telling me they have problems getting zoning, permits, and such, but you know what, anyone with any customer service sense in the least would have waited until all the zoning was cleared, all the permits were approved, and THEN started the construction.
While they were waiting, they could have provided hot water for the men's washroom, left the women's washroom where it was, just fixed it, left the equipment that was there, not created two sales offices, etc, etc. This has just been one big blunder. How could anyone mess up so badly?! Did they want to scare away all the former Oxygen members?

I don't see any major improvements any time soon. Why bother going here?

ExtremelyAngry · Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 114 Location: Riverdale, Toronto

I suspect that there is much more here than meets the eye with city inspectors, the landlord, etc. There may have been some, um, legal shortcuts and workarounds before that are no longer possible now.

karen · Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 2

My biggest concern about the overcrowding is the lack of stretching area. When there are two classes going on at the same time, where should we stretch!!!?

ExtremelyAngry · Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 114 Location: Riverdale, Toronto

Stretch?

All Extreme wants you to stretch is your time and patience.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 136

Apparently, they want you to STRETCH on over to another location. While this is is all but abandoned for repairs.

Shaking_his_head · Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 2

Do some of you have nothing better to do then bitch and moan.

Found this site from the newspaper article and I find myself laughing my ass off and shaking my head.

Do you realize the gym you will be getting? Check out the new Richmond St. location and suck it up. I hate the overcrowding as well and it drives me nuts but do you people have any business sense? A gym has to make money, ultimatly that is why they are there, they don't stop selling memeberships because you or I think there is too many members on the floor. Once the renos are done there will be plenty of space not to mention a great facitly. Is it taking longer then it should, yes. But deal with it.

Like it or leave it, just don’t' bitch and moan like a buch of litte kids.

Go on to Goodlife or a premier location, they are a second rate joke but it is where most of you proably should be.

Thanks for entertaining me with this site and your comments.

ExtremelyAngry · Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 114 Location: Riverdale, Toronto

Thanks Shaking.

Perhaps you are paying $19 a month?

I am not. I am paying much more.

I joined a gym which had much more equipment, more space, friendly staff, professional trainers, and a different atmosphere. For the past year, I have been robbed of all of that.

I doubt the renovations will be finished when my contract expires.

So I have been ripped off.

What's more, I didn't sign on for all that fancy shmancy stuff.

When it's done, they will be asking me for a lot more money.

But I will be gone.

Thanks for sharing though.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 136

Every forum eventually ends up with comments from people like this, so I'm not surprised. You know the type, the ones that believe that by sounding sarcastic and mean they will appear wiser than everyone else, but haven't really thought out their argument, nor presented it in a logical, non-emotional way, so that all you are left with is an emotional rant, by someone with clearly nothing better to do. Well, we welcome all comments here (unless they are outright hateful or slanderous). Gee, do you think maybe this person works for Extreme Fitness???

Let me first state the obvious: This is NOT the Richmond St gym. And I don't live at Queen and John.

I too am in the position of ExtremelyAngry, and once again, EA put forth comments in an elegant, thoughtful, and inclusive way.

I too paid for 15 months, before Extreme took over, and I paid a lot of money for that contract I am in. I have been a member at this location for a number of years, and am very fond of it. I too paid for equipment and services, including the space, much of which is gone, with no word of compensation. I did not pay for a construction site that has gone on now for nearly a year! While I keep getting the promise of this heavenly gym with all my missing equipment and space and services back, clearly my membership will expire long before I see any of what I paid for. So I too, like dozens and dozens of my friends and clients, am left feeling ripped off. Shaking_his_head would have me surrender my money and move on. Extreme Fitness is no charity my friend!

But I thank Shh for agreeing with ever other breathing member of the Danforth Extreme gym that I've spoken with:

ExtremelyAngry · Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 114 Location: Riverdale, Toronto

If I may add, in a somewhat inelegant way, it is interesting that Shaking showed up weeks after that newspaper article and just as people started complaining to the city health inspectors and about the building permits, or lack of them, etc.