Fitness fans petition to save their gym from permanent closure

On Tuesday First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that gyms could open their doors again on Monday, April 26. But in West Kilbride and Kilbirnie gym goers are worried there will be nowhere to go.

Fitness fan Julie McAvoy is leading a campaign to have the West Kilbride KA gym open its doors for the community on April 26.

And within two hours of setting up the petition for Holyrood, over 150 people had signed it.

Julie said: “The gym in West Kilbride Community Centre has been closed since lockdown last year.

“But it has now been decided that due to current Covid restrictions and social distancing rules, the gym

will remain permanently closed.

“It has been highlighted throughout the pandemic that exercise is beneficial for both your physical and mental health and this facility has been used by both local and non-local residents of Ayrshire. t is popular with all ages. We have to save it.”

The hope is the petition will force KA Leisure to change its plans for the West Kilbride hub which should have been opening on Monday, April 26 for gym use and then on May 17 for group exercise classes to resume.

And Christine Griffiths added: “Access to a gym should be available to everyone.

“This gym is well used and should not stay closed.”

Gym enthusiasts in Kilbirnie feel they are also unsure of the future of the KA:Leisure facility they use at Garnock Community Campus.

They fear they will be leaving the state-of-the-art campus which boasts a gym, six lane pool, dance studio and a café and instead, have to attend the gym at Kilbirnie’s Walker Hall, one of Kilbirnie’s oldest landmarks.

The members took to Facebook to air their concerns for the proposed moved to the Walker Hall.

They highlighted that at the moment, patrons who want to use the swimming pool can only do so during evenings and weekends as the entrance includes the school canteen.

As the Herald went to press KA:Leisure had offered no comment.