Here's the story. There's this company out in Prince Edward Island (PEI) called UFIT. It was founded in 2002 and it aims to provide non-judgemental, safe places to promote exercise. As evidenced in the photograph above, UFIT classes generally take place in school gymnasiums and everyone is welcome - from children where kids under 10 are free with parents, through to seniors and the cost to attend is/was only $5/class or $45/ten classes with each class lasting an hour.
Sounds great right?
Well at least it did.
You see PEI's Eastern School District is effectively shutting them down. Apparently local gyms complained that the rates the schools were charging UFIT to rent their gymnasiums impacted on their businesses.
The Eastern School District's response? Despite the fact that there was no exclusivity to UFIT's booking of school gymnasiums, despite the fact that one might think the schools would want to encourage exercise, despite the fact that comparing group fitness classes held for an hour a day in a local school gymnasium to a full-on, all day gym is like comparing taking a night class in a community college with a carrying a full-course load in University, as of February 1st the school district's hiking up UFIT's rent, restricting UFIT to holding only 3 days of classes per week per gymnasium (down from 7), and banning UFIT classes during summer break, stat holidays, March break or storm days.
Want to see what the school board's apparently trying to shut down? Here's a report from the CBC on UFIT (email subscribers, you'll have to head to the blog to watch):
Does anyone have a clue what this school board's thinking? Are they upset that UFIT's actually found a way to use school gymnasiums to effectively help keep people fit?
Think this is horrible? It might not be too late to help. According to a discussion I read on UFIT's Facebook page the school trustee's final vote on this matter isn't until February 1st. Why not send an email to Dr. Sandy MacDonald and Robert Clow and tell them what you think - Dr. MacDonald's the Superintendent of Education for the District responsible and Robert Clow is the Chair of the Board of Trustees for this sad turn of events (UFIT and the rest of the Board of Trustees will be copied on the email as well - and of course feel free to post a copy of your email in the comments here)
[UPDATE: Please read the comments - perhaps this isn't as clear cut an issue as originally presented.]
[Hat tip and thanks to loyal blog reader, RD and former Islander Chelsey for tipping me off to the story and providing me with a pile of links to make this an easy post]
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Yoni, a giant THANK YOU for posting this story! I have posted a link to your blog on the UFIT Facebook group. Hopefully the Eastern School District will reconsider their decision.
ReplyDeleteThanks again,
Chelsey
I would suggest everyone call their school board trustee for an explanation because this story is not quite as simple as everyone seems to believe.
ReplyDeleteCryptic anonymous poster - please share what it is you'd like people to discover from the school trustees.
ReplyDeleteYou can do it anonymously and it would allow for a fuller discussion as randomly suggesting there's more at play doesn't help further anyone's understanding of the issue.
Great post. Maybe they're pissy that they don't have the space to charge for adult continuing education type classes? (Tennis and the like). Can't imagine what could be worth the poor publicity.
ReplyDeleteFound an interview on line that took place with a school board trustee and unlike the cryptic anonymous poster, the interview suggests things are exactly as they seem.
ReplyDeleteRead for yourself here (need a Facebook account to access I believe)
UFit is a great fitness program and is very popular on the island. It is also run as a business and the owner(s) run it to make a profit. That profit is being subsidized by education tax dollars when a school gym is rented for $7 - $15 per night and 40 - 60 participants show up paying $5 each. The math is not difficult to figure out. UFit is able to pay the going commercial enterprise rent of $50 for the school gym. This is the rate they pay to hold their classes at the Stratford Recreation Centre.
ReplyDeleteThe school board is not shutting UFit down and some folks seem bent on creating a lot of drama over this issue.
The school board exists for educational purposes and to serve the community, not subsidize private enterprise with public dollars - with the side effect of providing an unfair playing field for others who are in the same profit-making business as UFit.
Perhaps UFit could show us their books and let us know if they can afford to rent the schools at a market rate. That is all that is being asked of them.
Yoni,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the support from Ontario. U-fit has positivly impacteed so many lives and I can't imagine why the ESB wants to put an end to that??? In addition, something I don't hear mention of very often is that Eireann and Gord coach their daughters junior high school basketball team as well as do presentations to children in the schools from grades 1 to 12, encouraging them to eat well exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle........and isn't it interesting that the board is BULLYING these wonderful people out of the school system?!!!
Its not over yet, everyone who loves Ufit....get vocal:)
Thanks Yoni:)
Wendy, if UFIT is paying, "the going commercial enterprise rate of $50" where is the unfairness of competition?
ReplyDeletePresumably GoodLife, Bally and other commercial gyms could also rent out the gymnasiums at the "going commercial enterprise rate".
UFIT has found a way to become a profitable business and to encourage exercise by paying "the going commercial enterprise rate".
If the school board changes the "going commercial enterprise rate" that's just the school board trying to benefit from UFIT's success (and that's the school board's prerogative).
However if the school board also implements time limitations on UFIT's ability to rent out the space and adopts new restrictions as to the dates and does so as a consequence of complaints from private businesses then clearly that's just the school board for some odd reason taking sides which probably isn't something within the purvey of an ethical school board.
Yoni, if you read Wendy's post more closely, you will recognize that what she is saying is that Ufit is ABLE to pay the going rate of $50 (they are quite profitable), yet they are ACTUALLY only paying $7-$15 per night to rent the gym. This means that school tax dollars are being used to subsidize a private business. Why is Ufit not paying the market rate of $50 per night?
ReplyDeleteHi Sam,
ReplyDeleteFair comment.
Of course re-reading Wendy's post two things come to mind.
Firstly it doesn't appear as if she has a firm idea pf how much UFIT is actually paying the schools as she provides a range of $s.
Secondly, even were UFIT to be paying low rent it doesn't suggest to me that the schools are cutting UFIT a break - if they negotiated a contract with UFIT even at $1/hr that was up to the schools and UFIT.
As I noted, the school has every right in the world to raise rents. Of course in making the determination of how much to raise the rents they'll have to take into account both UFIT's profitability as well as the benefits UFIT is providing the community.
Of course to do so simply at the bequest of competition that is unhappy about the success of UFIT is not something I would expect a school board to consider and frankly it's healthy competition that allows for improved services and products to consumers. Further as I mentioned limiting UFIT's access to the facilities just because of some disgruntled gym owners also isn't something I'd expect a school board to do.
I am glad you re-read my comment Yoni.
ReplyDeleteTo clarify the current rent arrangement: I included a range because different schools charge a different amount, therefore rent is different at different locations.
Many folks offer great services to the schools and provide free professional help to classes, home and school associations, and school teams. I don't think anyone does this expecting, in exchange, a special rate on facility use. I think they, like the UFit owners, do it because it is the right thing to do. So, I don't see that this makes an argument for special rates.
I believe your premise is incorrect. The school board does not want to 'shut down' UFit. The school board is being responsive to the needs of the community by reviewing a policy of which the general public has been unaware, i.e., that private businesses are operating out of the schools at discount prices.
I would like to know how you justify my tax dollars paying electric fees, heating costs, custodial services, parking lot repair and maintenance and other costs for a business which should be expected to pay a rent which suitably covers these overhead costs. And to act indignant over it? Perhaps you could subsidize UFit's costs...
Wendy,
ReplyDeletePerhaps you should re-read my comments.
The rates that the schools have offered UFIT were clearly agreed upon by UFIT and the schools and indeed I believe well within the right of the schools to revisit.
Raising rates won't likely shut down UFIT, restricting access to the gymnasium where it would otherwise be sitting, heated and unused, might.
Regarding your "tax dollars". I have zero doubt, really zero, that the improvements in health that UFIT is conferring to its regular members dramatically offset any ancillary costs to the taxpayer by means of improving their health, reducing physician visits, decreasing disability, increasing work productivity, extending longevity and decreasing reliance on medications.
My apologies Yoni for failing to respond to all the points in your comments.
ReplyDeleteI strongly believe that much ado is being made over a rather straight forward matter.
In your words Yoni:
"You see PEI's Eastern School District is effectively shutting them down. Apparently local gyms complained that the rates the schools were charging UFIT to rent their gymnasiums impacted on their businesses."
This is an incorrect statement and it keeps the focus off the relevant points.
Thank you for your time today.
(re-written as my math skills were too generous)
ReplyDeleteTell me Wendy,
If your company, whatever it is, was suddenly told that they needed to cease operations for roughly 82% of the year would it still be in business?
Forcing UFIT to go from 7 classes to 3 classes per week per gymnasium cuts 57% of their business. Then closing the doors during March break, summer break, school/stat holidays and storm days will easily cut 25% of their current business (3 months of the year gone) and in turn this may very well shut UFIT down for good (this without any increase in rent). That's 82% of their business gone in the spirit of "fair competition"?
It's you who's not understanding the issue Wendy, not me - but that's ok and thanks for the polite discourse.
One last off here Yoni.
ReplyDeleteUFit has never held classes when there are school closures, so this is a nonstarter. Their ability to rent facilities during summer months is not in question - another nonissue. There is only one school in which classes are held 7 days a week. At all other locations classes are offered twice per week.
So, based on my misunderstandings, I guess, you are exaggerating the losses to a very large extent. You are also doing a top notch job of escalating a drama which really has no reason to exist.
Perhaps the owners of UFit are staying quiet on the matter because they have a very clear understanding of where they truly stand in this issue and because there are drama kings and queens always willing to step into centre stage.
It's you who's not understanding the issue Yoni, not me - but that's ok and thanks for the polite discourse.
Polite indeed! Good for both of us.
ReplyDeleteIf in fact your reporting is accurate (and I have no reason to disbelieve) then indeed, your points are very valid.
If the issue at hand is simple the price of rent, then as I've noted throughout the comments, the school board has every right in the world to raise them at their discretion.
In terms of stirring things up, might I suggest that the school board issue a press release explaining the issues? This story, and the CBC's story, indeed portray primarily one side of the issue. The reason therein is that the other side isn't talking.
If your side is "their" side, wouldn't all of this simply go away if someone explained things to UFIT, me and the general public?
I wrote the school board - no one wrote me back. Have someone from the school board contact me and provide me with further information and I'd be happy to revisit the issue in a new blog post.
For now I've updated the post to steer people to read the comments as indeed, if your reporting of how things currently run is accurate, this doesn't seem to be as big a deal as it started out.
I am not connected to the school board or the school system in any way, Yoni, except to have children attending school. I don't think I can convince them to return your email... I did receive a brief acknowledgment of my email to the superintendent a few days after sending it, assuring me it would be brought to the attention of the trustees.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the 'facts' as they seem to be circling around, were presented by anyone except concerned individuals. all with good intentions, over reacting. The CBC story - which I have not see as I am on a dial up connection (yay rural PE)and I do not have a television - I hope did not specify all these restrictions, though whoever they interviewed (UFit owner? school board rep? upset & concerned participant?) might have said these things.
I suggest you send an email to Eireann and/or Gord, of UFit, and ask them to clarify what the eastern school board is asking of them.
http://ufit.ca/?page_id=31
You can get verification of their class schedule here:
http://ufit.ca/?page_id=21
Thanks Wendy,
ReplyDeleteDoing the math on the class times, they'd be losing 4 classes from the Queen Charlotte School.
Looks like in PEI they have a total of 21 classes across all schools.
A loss of 4 of those classes would amount to a loss of 19% of their class times.
I would also have to assume that the reason there are more classes held at the Queen Charlotte School is that there is greater demand there and hence likely larger class sizes as well.
Were UFIT restricted to 3 classes a week at Queen Charlotte that may then impact a much greater than 19% decrease in operations - perhaps as high as 25-35% which certainly isn't insignificant - especially when coupled with an increase in rent.
Looks like the real story lies somewhere between them being shut down for certain and this being overblown.
Will certainly be interesting to see how it all shakes out.
Thanks for all of your input.
I would like to add some food for thought to this discussion. UFIT is a great program that has done well to offer individuals a non-judgmental environment to workout and get active; however, UFIT is not the only option and nor should it be! Group fitness classes are designed for the masses (all ages and fitness levels). This concept is a great addition to any fitness program but it should not be the only activity an individual participates in. For a fitness program to be successful you need to incorporate all aspects of fitness, ie) cardio, strength, and flexibility. I know UFIT does this but they do it for the masses and unless you are well versed in physical fitness you will find it hard to advance your fitness level in a UFIT class. I am a fitness instructor who offers smaller classes where my focus is on form and technique. My classes are designed to advance my clients individually through their own fitness levels and this is achieved also in a non-judgmental environment. My classes build confidence, and education, along with strength, flexibility, and endurance. With a class as large as UFIT it's impossible for the instructor to watch everyone and help them "individually", not to say that UFIT is unaware of this, it just concerns me that they seem to have chosen quantity over quality. So now let me get to my point! UFIT has a great idea doing their classes in the school gyms. It gives money to the school, they have spring loaded floors, which help prevents injury (important consideration for a fitness class), and they were cheap. YEAH for UFIT for being at the right place at the right time with a great idea; however, they are starting to take advantage. When I was looking for a location I had contacted the schools for available times; now I must add time is important, there is only a small window of time that really works for a successful class and it's not at 5 PM or 8 PM. UFIT, to my surprise, had all the times pre-booked at not only one gym but many gyms and therefore it was not an option for me to have my class at a school gym. This is why I support having no more than 3 classes/week/gym (key word "per"), UFIT can still run classes 7 days a week, it's just going to have to be at different locations, which, by the way, they do already. I am well aware that UFIT is a business and their main goal is to make money, I am just glad there will be guidelines in place to help smaller business grow when the larger ones monopolize the market. As for the schools "Banning" UFIT during summer break and holidays, I think this is a horrible idea and should be reconsidered (if true). When I lived off island I was trying to get a similar idea started in the school gyms. The schools in this province required your program to be non-for-profit so they were not even an option. Due to this there were NO community fitness classes, only classes in gyms and fitness facilities, which was not helpful to those who wanted to stay out of these environments. I believe the schools should consider what taking UFIT and I am assuming other fitness class out of the gyms during the summer may due to the health and well-being of the community and focus more on what it could do for their economic growth. Speaking of economics, I agree with everyone that raising the fees is a bummer but as stated it is the schools decision and frankly why wouldn't they? They get to make more money for the school and they have been giving UFIT a great deal for 8 years so why not see the potential for growth and run with it. For UFIT to play the victim about the rent is just silly b/c they obviously seen the potential with the low rent and ran with it! I hope this message brings about a new respect for this topic and the industry and how this new policy will not hurt our communities but help them by hopefully opening the doors for more fitness opportunities and variety within the fitness community, that really could only increase the participation of fitness within our communities!
ReplyDelete