ExtremeFitnessForum

Antonia · Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Toronto

Thanks to all of you for this webforum.

I have had enough.

Below is the email I sent to Extreme on Saturday. I asked for e-confirmation that the emails had been read and I got them so there will be no excuses of non-receipt.

Yesterday, I spoke with a lawyer friend who confirms that is, from what she can see, in breach of contract.

Meanwhile, last week I joined Riverdale Fitness. It isn't fancy but it's bright, clean, friendly, uncrowded and there's lots of equipment. It is in the health and fitness business not the cash flow business. Check it out.

Antonia Zerbisias
Columnist, Living Section
The Toronto Star
One Yonge Street
Fifth Floor
Toronto, ON
M5E 1E6

Antonia · Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Toronto

I just got a call from Steve Venet, the manager of Extreme on Danforth. He said he was in receipt of my email to the brass and wanted to discuss my situation.

His position is that, as I paid no money to Extreme, there was nothing to refund. He proposed that I freeze my membership until renovations were complete.

I told him that I had joined Riverdale Fitness last week and that returning to Extreme was no longer an option. Although I did not mention this, I thought, why should I totally deprive myself of my health club for months?

We agreed to meet to discuss this further.

He is a pleasant guy, and said he had been with the company for 7 years. He called ''the most progressive'' fitness chain out there. I beg to differ.

In any case, he has only been at Danforth since August 13th. I don't envy him. He inherited a disaster.

Speaking of which, I peeked in at the front construction this morning while on my way back from Riverdale. It looks like it is months away from completion. It's still down to the concrete.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 132

Like you, I have been deprived of the space and equipment that I paid for. Also, with the overcrowding, I have rarely used the place since shortly after their takeover. I literally want all my money back! Putting my membership on hold would be to say that I have intention of staying with this company. Never! They bought out our memberships, agreed to honour them, and as such they are liable.

If they have any decency and good business practice, they will refund our money. If not, there are always options. I personally feel I have been ripped off, and since to this date (Nov07), no one has offered me compensation, it is not unreasonable to ask for my money back, for breach of contract, and overall reprehensible business practices, imho.

Antonia · Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Toronto

Since I posted my letter, I have received a number of emails at my office from people who are Oxygen to Extreme members like I am. (Also, my colleague Ellen Roseman, who wrote about Extreme in Sept., keeps getting emails too.)

NONE of the writers are happy. ALL of them describe less-than-pleasant experiences trying to rectify their situation.

I don't know if any of these people are forum posters. But it's obvious there are many very dissatisfied customers.

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

Thank you Antonia.

Your colleague Ellen Roseman, to whom I wrote, told me about this.

http://www.ellenroseman.com/?p=67

It's mostly about other clubs but Extreme gets a mention.

Clark Lonergan · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 13

Tasos Pappas

Executive Vice-President

Extreme Fitness

.c. Alison Stephens, Public Relations, Extreme Fitness

Jim Solomon, CEO, Extreme Fitness

admin · Site Admin Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 132

Thanks! Everyone needs to contact these people individually. Then, if they don't satisfy us, we need to work collectively, with legal assistance, with the BBB, Consumer Protection, Public Health, and anyone else we can, in order for all the dissatisfied customers there to find resolution. Obviously, a class action lawsuit is another good consideration. Imagine the bad press after that hits the front page news!

Clark Lonergan · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 13

Can some one provide the address of the senior Extreme Fitness execs mentioned by name in this complaint.

Thanks
Clark

richardvon · Joined: 15 Dec 2007 Posts: 1

I've been a member at the Danforth (Oxygen) since Dec 1999. The club has gone from a clean, friendly, spacious facility to becoming a dump. The purchase of Oxygen by Extreme led to a rapid decline. A year of 'renovations' that seemed unneccessary, and remain unfinished. Drywall dust, jackhammers, near-freezing temperatures, rude staff (if you could find one), all crammed into a fraction of the space we used to enjoy. The final straw for me was the complete closure of the facility on Dec 13, for a month while Extreme will finish the destruction, pardon me, the construction. It's been a year. Enough already. I quit. They are ripping me off for the month of December (keeping my money while offering no service). F*** it. I'll find another gym.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 132

We would encourage you to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and/or the City Health, and any other place you can think of. This kind of thing should never be allowed to happen. (I'm not talking about the so-called construction "upgrade", but the way they have conducted business since the takeover.)