New home found for Kawartha Gymnastics club
Growing gymnastics club to partner with Premier Studio of Dance
Kawartha Gymnastics long search for a new home appears to be over with a new partnership with the Premiere Studio of Dance.
The not-for-profit gymnastics club announced to its members on its website it will be moving to a new building to be constructed on County Road 19 in Selwyn Township just north of Peterborough.
Robyn Carter has run the Premiere Studio of Dance for 20 years including the past 16 in a retrofitted garage at the County Road 19 site.
Carter said her plan is to tear down the existing building and replace it with a two-storey building with 12,000 square feet of studio space on each floor.
Kawartha Gymnastics would be her primary tenant on the ground floor with a 19-foot ceiling. The current location for both the dance studio and gym club are 8,000 square feet.
The gymnastics club has 500 members and the dance studio 450.
Carter will run her dance studio on the second floor with space also available on that floor for another tenant.
“The studio is at a point where I needed to either do some pretty substantial renovations or my dream to build a brand new custom facility made just for dance,” Carter said.
“There is nothing like that in Peterborough. To have a partner to share a building with would be ideal from a business perspective.”
Carter’s daughter Natalie attends classes at Kawartha Gymnastics and she was aware of their desire to find a larger and more modern facility so she approached the board.
“It’s a great fit because we are sort of doing the same thing and our clientele is the same, I thought it would make things quite convenient for people,” she said.
Kawartha Gymnastics has been bursting at the seams at their Morrow Park facility with waiting lists for some classes. Their board has been searching for 2 1/2 years for an alternative location but was not in a position to build their own.
“It brings a lot of excitement for the future of gymnastics in Peterborough,” said Kawartha Gymnastics president Amy Gerolamy.
“We’re sad to leave our current location but we’re really happy to bring gymnastics to the north-end and Selwyn Township. We’re excited with our new partnership and what it can do for the sport. It’s a really exciting time.”
The new gym would feature a foam-filled pit, 40-by-40-foot floor, a floor level trampoline, better change facilities and office space.
“We’ll be able to expand our programs, get new equipment, the opportunity to expand our staff as well to meet the increased numbers,” she said.
Carter is working with Selwyn Township officials on obtaining necessary permits and zoning. If all goes well she expects to begin construction in seven to 10 months. It will require her to relocate her studio during construction.
“We don’t have anything set in stone, but we will be relocating temporarily,” she said.
It’s too early to know exact costs but Carter said the project will be “well over” $1 million.
“The end goal is very exciting,”
Carter said.
“I’m excited for all it will offer my students, the gym club, all of Peterborough really. It will be a spectacular state-of-the-art facility. Getting there will be really challenging but I’ve done this before having renovated a garage into a dance studio and adding an addition. I have a little bit of experience and know that things don’t always go in a straight line. I have lots of good people working with me and for me and I know we will get through it ... I know the end product will be pretty awesome for all involved.”